THE  LIBRARY 
OF 

THE  UNIVERSITY 

OF  CALIFORNIA 

LOS  ANGELES 


\J     vTcK^b^e^c.^, 


IN  IHE 


Ojibrtay 
Countr^ 


A  Story  of 
EARLY  MISSIONS 

ON  THE 
Minnesota  Frontier 


REV.  JAMES  PEERY  SCHELL 


WALHALLA,    N.    D. 

CHAS.  H.  LEE,  PUBLISHER 
1911 


E 


TO 

THE  MISSIONARY  PIONEERS 

OF  THE 
American  Northwest 


Copyright,  1911,  by 

James  Peery  Schell 


CONTENTS 

Foreword ix 

Biogrophical xi 

1 

INTRODUCTORY 
Explorations  and  Missionary  Operations  prior  to    1842       1 

II 

A  CALL  FROM  THE  WILD 

The  Ayers  at  Oberlin — Departure  of  Messrs  Ayer 
and  Spencer  for  the  Minnesota  wilderness — Young 

Spencer  at  Red   Lafte 5 

III 

OBERLAIN'S  RESPONSE 

A  pioneer  party  organized — Passing  up  the  lakes — 
At  Sault  Ste  Mane — '"One  littie  sailing  vessel" — At 
La  Pomte — Afloat  in  a  birch  bark  canoe — First  im- 
presiona  of  Indian  life  and  manners — Up  the  St, 
Louis  and  Mississippi  rivers — Arrival  at  Red  Lake.  9 
IV 

MAKING  A  HOME  IN  THE  WILDERNESS 
A  lonely  sentinel — An  Indian  tradition  of   Red    Lake 
— Living  on  maple  sugar — Making  hay  under   diffi- 
culties— Working  and  waiting — A  longed-for   arri- 
val— At  home  in  a  bark  hut — Winter  in  the  forest. .      14 

V 

MOTIVES  AND  METHODS 

Going  forth  "without  purse  or  scrip" — Seeking  the 
lost — Teaching  in  Indian  homes — '-Dogs  and  ver- 
min"— No  "pio-nio!" 19 


VI 

INDIAN   LAW  AND  LANGUAGE 
Unfriendly  demands — An  "upright   judge" — Dealing 
with  a  thief — Stolen  money    recovered — Laying   in 

tor  winter — A  wonderful    language 28 

VII 

MID- WINTER  TRIP  TO  FORT  GARRY 
The  Red  river  settlement — Preparation  for  the  journey 
— Traveling  over   the  ice — A    "pbenomen"   and   a 
catastrophe — Floundering  amid  the  waves — "A  hoof 

left  behind" — Drying  one's  clothes  for  Sunday 30 

VIII 

AT  FOKT  GARRY  AND  OLD  KlLDONAN 
Warm  greeting  at  the  settlement— "Canadian  recipro- 
city"— Banqueted  by  the    governor — Embarrassing 
hospitalities — Preaching  at    Kildonan — Loaded    up 

tor  the  return  trip 36 

IX 

PERILS  IN    I'tiE  WILDERNEbS 
On  the  prairie  without  a    guide — Missing   the    trail — 
Camp  duties — A  Sabbath  of  unrest — Lost  matches — 

Lost    dinner— -Old  Watch" 43 

X 

PERILS  OF  WATERS 

An  un-happy  New  Year — A  bad  crossing — Breaking 
the  ice — A  sorry  Saturday  night — Home  at  last. ...  49 

X 

WORKING  AND   WINNING 

In  an  Indian  family — Sharing  with  the  needy — Rescu- 
ing the  perishing — Indians  in  tears 54 

XII 

FOREST  EXPERIENCES 

Independence  day  in  th-*  wilderness — Fighting  the  en- 
emy— A  fish  diet — A  heathen  carousal — One  ot 
Christ's  "little  ones" — Winter  approaching — First 
church  in  the  wilderness 60 


X11I 
MID-WINTER   JOURNEY    AND  MlD-SUMMER 

TRIALS. 

The  "Twin  cities  in  1845 — First  grist  mill — Smoking 
the  pipe  of  peace — Home  longings — A  heathen  pan- 
demonium— Threatening  crisis  safely  passed 65 

XIV 

NEW  CALLS  FOR  "TEACHERS" 
Leach  Jake  abandoned — Overtaken  by  a   storm — Case 
lake  pleading  for  "teachers" — A   mysterious   "call" 
from  the  north   shore — Disappointment — Cass    lake 

Mission  located 71 

XV 

RIOTING   AND  MOURNING 

The  "Indian  trader" — Fire  water — A  ruined  home — 
Sad  death  and  burial  of  Indian  girl — An  afflicted 
father — Revival  begun 76 

XVI 

MISSION  OPENED  AT  CASS  LAKE 
Schoolhouse  founded  in  prayer — "  'Mid  scenes  of  con- 
tusion"— Native    singing — Inquiring      chieftain — 

Light  in  the  darkness 81 

XVII 

DAYS  OF  TRIAL 

Nursing  the  sick — A  grateful  family — Chief  in  a  rage 
— An  aged  philosopher — A  scene  in  the  school  room 
— A  peace  embassy — The  missionaries  comforted — 
Church  organized  at  Cass  lake. — New  arrivals  .....  $6 

XVIII 

LOOKING  HOMEWARD 

The  "white  man's  wedding" — Embarked  on  the    Mis- 
sisippi — First  night  out — Perilous  ride  over  rapids — 
Stuck  on  a  rook-— "Watching  the  fun" — At   Sandy 
lake — The  interpreter  Tanner 94 


BOOK  THREE 

L 

THE  GREAT  LONE  LAND.  1 6 1 

'II 

FOUNDING  OF  THE  RED  RIVER  COLONY.     )65 

'III 
RIVAL  RELIGIOUS  INTERESTS.  168 

IV. 
ARRIVAL  OF  REVS.  BLACK  AND  NESBIT.      170 


APPENDIX 


(A)—  An  Important  Treaty.  176 

(B)  —  Observations  on  the  Algonquin  Languages.  182 

(C)  —  Pioneer  Printing  Presses.  183 

(D)  —  Historical  Significance  of  American  Missions.  184 
(E  )—  Walhalla  Martyrs  Memorial  186 


LIST  OF  ILLUSTRATIONS 

Frontplece 

Minnesota  and    Dakota  Frontier,  Map... vn 

Oberlin      Band 12 

Ft.  Garry,  exterior,  1845 36 

Ft.  Garry,  interior,   1845 40 

Ked  Lake,  Minn.,  in  summer 60 

St.  Louis  River  and 

Pokegama  Falls,    Minnesota 96 

Walhalla,   1862 120 

Hon.  Cbas.  Cavileer's  Home  and  post-office, 

Pemoiua,    1850 124 

Elijah    Terry 132 

Kittson's  Trading  Post,  1852 136 

The  Barnard  Tombstone 144 

Burial  Lot  of  The  Walhalla  Martyrs 148 

Walhdlla,  N.  Dak  ,  1888 ." 152 

The  Spencer  Home,    1 853 158 

Groupe  at  Memorial  Service,  1888 187 


Minnesota  and  Dakota  Frontier 


FOREWORD 

^ 

The  greater  portion  of  the  materials  embraced  in  this 
little  volume  have  been  gathered  from  the  private  jour- 
nals and  correspondence  of  those  who  were  the  leading 
actors  in  the  events  described.  We  had  hoped  to  obtain 
much  valuable  and  interesting  information  from  the  sur- 
viving members  of  the  pioneer  missionaries  of  Minne- 
sota, Rev.  Ferederick  Ayer  and  wife ;  but  were  grieved 
to  learn  that  all  their  early  journals  and  papers  bearing 
on  the  matters  in  hand  had  unfortunately  been  destroyed 
by  fire  many  years  ago. 

Altho  the  task  undertaken  in  the  preparation  of  this 
humble  narrative  of  early  missionary  labors  among  the 
native  tribes  of  our  northern  frontier,  has  necessarily 
been  performed  amid  the  cares  and  distractions  incident 
to  the  daily  life  of  a  frontier  missionary,  the  results,  such 
as  they  are,  are  now  committed  to  a  charitable  public,  in 
the  hope  and  prayer  that  the  lessons  to  be  derived  there- 
from, in  the  patient  and  heroic  lives  of  the  various  actors, 
may  not  be  wholly  lost;  but  that  the  toils  and  tears  of 
those  devoted  servants  and  martyrs  of  Christ,  may  have 
yet  richer  fruitage  in  the  coming  years. 

J.  P.  S. 

Warren,  Minn.,  April,  1910. 


Biographibal  Sketches 


To  the  Rev.  Frederick  Ayer  and  his  devoted  wife  be- 
longs the  honor  of  being  regarded  as  the  pioneer  Protest- 
ant missionaries  in  the  wilds  of  northern  Minnesota,  and 
the  founders  of  the  Red  Lake  Missions  in  1842. 

Mr.  Ayer  was  born  at  old  Stockbridge,  Mass.,  in  1803 ; 
and  removed  with  his  father's  family,  the  Rev.  Oliver 
Ayer,  to  central  New  York,  when  only  three  years  of  age. 
He  intended  to  study  for  the  ministry,  but  owing  to  ill 
health  was  compelled  to  abandon  the  idea  for  a  time ; 
and  afterwards  engaged  in  secular  business  in  Utica. 
While  thus  employed  he  received  an  appointment  from 
the  American  Board  to  teach  their  Mission  school  at 
Mackinac,  where  he  was  shortly  after  married  to  one  of 
the  teachers  of  the  school,  Miss  Elizabeth  Taylor. 


XII  BIOGRAPHICAL 


From  there,  in  the  spring  of  1831,  the  couple  set  out 
on  their  life-long  mission  among  the  natives  in  the  wilds 
of  northern  Minnesota.  After  a  year  spent  at  Sandy 
lake,  where  the  first  school  ever  established  in  what  is 
now  the  State  of  Minnesota  was  opened  by  Mrs.  Ayer, 
they  were  transferred  to  Yellow  lake;  and  thence,  some 
two  years  later,  to  Pokegama,  where  their  work  was 
greatly  prospered  until  abruptly  terminated  by  a  Sioux 
incursion  in  1841. 

After  some  time  spent  in  connection  with  the  establish- 
ment of  the  Mission  at  Red  lake,  they  removed,  in  1849, 
to  the  vicinity  of  Belle  Prairie,  where  they  attempted  to 
open  a  school  for  the  children  of  the  white  settlers  then 
coming  into  the  country.  But  the  opening  of  the  civil 
war,  followed  by  the  terrible  outbreak  of  the  Sioux  In- 
dians in  1862,  effectually  closed  their  efforts  in  that  re- 
gion. 

In  1865  they  went  to  Atlanta,  Ga.,  to  engage  in  teach- 
ing among  the  freedmen;  and  there,  some  years  later, 
Mr.  Ayer  was  called  home  from  his  earthly  labors.  Mrs. 
Ayer  then  joined  her  sons,  Walter  and  Lyman,  at  the  old 
home  in  Minnesota,  where  at  the  ripe  age  of  upwards 
of  ninety  years,  she  also  quietly  passed  to  her  heavenly 
reward. 

One  who  knew  her  well  thus  wrote  of  her  a  short  time 
before  she  was  called  away:  "Her  old  age  is  beautiful; 
her  faith  clear  as  the  noonday;  and  her  sweet  presence 
will  be  sadly  missed  in  her  son's  household,  when  she 
shall  be  called  to  join  her  loved  ones  gone  before,  and  be 
forever  with  the  Lord.  .  .  She  is  a  living  embodiment 


KIOGKAPH1OAL  XIII 


of  a  well-spent  life;  a  life  in  which  self  has  been  entirely 
ignored,  and  Christ  honored  and  glorified." 

THE  REV.  ALONZO  BARNARD  was  born  in  Peru,  Ver- 
mont, June  2,  1817 ;  and  removed  with  his  father's  family 
to  Elyria,  Ohio,  at  the  age  of  seventeen.  He  studied  at 
Oberlin  college;  and  after  their  graduation,  in  1843,  was 
married  to  Miss  Sarah  Philena  Babcock,  a  classmate  in 
the  same  institution.  Immediately  after  their  marriage 
they  set  out  in  company  with  Mrs.  Ayer  and  others,  to 
engage  in  missionary  labors  among  the  Ojibway  (Chip- 
pewa)  Indians  on  the  far  northern  frontier  of  Wisconsin 
Territory — now  Minnesota. 

They  and  their  associates  labored  at  Red,  Leech,  and 
Cass  lakes,  as  well  as  at  other  points,  in  that  wild  region, 
during  a  period  of  ten  years;  when  the  Barnards  and 
Spencers  removed  to  St.  Joseph,  now  Walhalla,  on  the 
northern  border  of  Dakota;  and  sought  to  open  a  school 
for  the  Indian  and  French  half-breed  children  living  in 
the  vicinity  of  that  important  frontier  trading  post. 

Here  Mrs.  Barnard  soon  ended  her  earthly  labors — 
followed  the  ensuing  summer  by  the  tragic  death  of  Mrs. 
Spencer.  The  Mission  being  broken  up  the  following 
year  by  the  increasing  hostility  of  the  Sioux  Indians,  Mr. 
Barnard  took  refuge  in  the  Red  river  settlement  of  Kil- 
donan,  near  the  present  site  of  the  city  of  Winnipeg. 

After  spending  some  years  in  that  region,  a  portion  of 
the  time  in  missionary  labors  among  the  Indians  about 
lake  Winnipeg,  he  re  moved,  in  1863,  to  Benzonia,  Mich., 
where  he  and  other  members  of  the  family  continued  for 
a  number  of  years  thereafter  to  reside.  He  died  at  the 


XIV  BIOGRAPHICAL 


home  of  his  son  and  daughter  in  Pomona,  Mich.,  on 
April  7,  1905. 

MR.  DAVID  B.  SPENCER  was  the  first  to  accompany  Mr. 
Ayer  to  the  northern  wilderness  in  the  winter  of  1842-3 ; 
and  shared  in  the  early  exploration  and  location  of  the 
first  mission  station  at  Red  lake.  Some  years  later,  in 
1848,  he  was  married  to  Miss  Cordelia  Leonard,  who 
was  engaged  as  a  teacher  in  the  Mission  at  Cass  lake. 
They  labored  afterward  at  lake  Winnibegoshish ;  and  in 
1853  accompanied  the  Barnards  to  St.  Joseph  in  northern 
Dakota. 

After  the  untimely  death  of  his  wife,  and  the  removal 
of  the  motherless  children  to  Ohio,  he  never  returned  to 
St.  Joseph ;  but  connected  himself  once  more  with  his  old 
Mission  at  Red  lake.  There  he  was  afterwards  married 
to  Miss  Ferry;  who,  in  1854,  had  joined  the  Mission  at 
Cass  lake.  When  the  work  at  Red  lake  was  abandoned, 
some  three  years  later,  they  went  to  the  Indian  Mission 
on  lake  Superior;  and  after  three  years  of  devoted  ser- 
vice there,  retired  to  Benzonia,  Mich.,  where  they  quietly 
spent  the  remainder  of  their  days. 

Mr.  Spencer's  youngest  daughter,  Charlotte,  after- 
wards engaged  as  a  missionary  in  Turkey  under  the 
American  Board.  His  son,  David  Brainard,  Jr.,  an  in- 
fant in  his  mother's  arms  at  the  time  of  her  tragic  death, 
afterwards  entered  the  ministry  in  connection  with  the 
Congregational  church. 

THE  REV.  SELA  G.  WRIGHT,  to  whom  the  writer  is  in- 
debted for  much  of  the  materials  found  herein,  was  also 
from  Oberlin  college;  and  accompanied  Mrs.  Ayer  and 


BIOGRAPHICAL  XV 


the  Barnards,  and  others,  to  Red  lake  in  the  summer  of 
1843.  He  remained  with  the  Mission  until  the  time  of 
its  abandonment,  in  1857;  after  which  he  was  employed 
as  a  teacher  in  the  government  school  at  Cass  lake,  con- 
tinuing to  preach,  meanwhile,  to  the  Indians  in  the  vicin- 
ity, as  opportunity  afforded. 

The  school,  having  been  afterwards  closed  by  reason 
of  the  Indian  uprising  of  1862,  he  followed  the  Ayers 
into  the  South,  where  for  several  years  he  labored  among 
the  freedman;  and  after  returning  north,  resumed  his 
labors  in  connection  with  the  Government's  Indian 
boarding  school  at  Cass  lake.  Mr.  Wright  remained  in 
the  service  of  the  Government  as  a  teacher  until  the  year 
1883,  when  failing  health  compelled  him  to  relinquish  his 
work  for  a  time.  He  was,  however,  employed  subse- 
quently by  the  Presbyterian  Board  as  a  missionary  among 
the  Indians  in  the  region  of  lake  Superior,  from  which 
he  finally  retired  to  spend  the  remnant  of  a  long  and  emi- 
nently useful  career  amid  the  quiet  shades  and  loved 
associations  of  "old  Oberlin." 


In  The   Ojibway  Country 

•*** 

BOOK    ONE 


I. 

INTRODUCTORY. 

Previous  to  the  advent  of  the  great  railway  lines,  with 
their  accompanying  invasions  of  peoples  of  diverse 
nationalities,  the  immense  natural  resources  of  the  for- 
ests, mines,  and  prospective  harvests  of  northern  Minne- 
sota and  the  Dakotas  were  practically  unknown  and  un- 
suspected by  the  people  of  "the  States,"  and  of  the  world 
at  large. 

But  this  whole  region,  embracing  the  principal  water- 
shed of  the  continent,  and  stretching  away  toward  the 
rockies  and  the  arctic  sea,  is  a  truly  vast  and  varied  one. 
Notwithstanding  the  rigor  of  the  climate  during  the  long 
winter  months,  it  has  from  the  earliest  times  formed  a 
chosen  habitat  for  the  many  fur-bearing  animals  of  the 
north,  as  well  as  for  a  great  variety  of  waterfowl  and  fish, 
affording  thereby  to  the  early  explorers,  traders  and 
native  tribes  a  wide  and  attractive  field  for  their  roving 


2  IN  THE  OJJBWAY  COUNTRY 

occupations  and  hardy  enterprizes. 

For  these,  also,  it  had  provided  from  a  very  remote 
past,  by  means  of  its  continuous  chain  of  lakes  and  con- 
necting waterways,  a  natural  and  convenient  route  for 
their  frequent  movements  back  and  forth  between  the 
head  of  the  great  lakes  and  the  plains  and  river  valleys  of 
the  farther  northwest. 

Fringed  on  its  eastern  border  by  the  pines  and  maples 
of  the  Minnesota  forests,  the  fertile  valley  of  the  Red 
River  of  the  north,  some  fifty  miles  in  width  by  three 
hundred  in  length,  lies  smooth  and  level  as  the  surface 
of  its  own  prehistoric  sea  when  unruffled  by  storms. 
Beyond  it,  stretching  far  to  the  westward,  the  higher 
plains,  treeless  and  breezy,  advance  by  almost  impercept- 
ible stages  toward  the  dome  of  the  distant  "Rockies." 
„  All  these  vast  areas  were  threaded  at  intervals  by  the 
well-worn  trails  of  the  buffalo,  and  of  the  native  tribes  and 
hunters  in  quest  of  their  chosen  game.  The  possession 
of  this  wild  domain  had  long  been  contested  by  the 
various  Indian  tribes:  The  Ojibways,  or  Chippewas, 
claiming  the  eastern  lake  and  forest  regions  of  northern 
Minnesota,  the  proud  and  war-like  Sioux  ranging  with 
the  buffalo  the  exposed  and  unsheltered  Dakota  plains, 
while  the  more  mild  and  peaceable  Crees  fished  and 
hunted  undisturbed  in  the  less  favored  regions  of  the 
farther  north. 

After  the  early  explorers,  Hennepin,  Marquette,  and 
LaSalle — the  latter  of  whom  in  1680  reached  the  head  of 
lake  Superior,  and  passing  westward  over  the  divide, 
descended  the  channel  of  the  upper  Mississippi  as  far 
as  the  falls  of  St.  Anthony — the  first  to  explore  the  ter- 
ritory and  give  the  result  of  his  observations  to  the  world 
was  Captain  Jonathan  Carver.  At  the  head  of  a  com- 
pany of  English  provincials  he  traversed  the  country 


IN  THE  OJIBWAY  COUNTUY 


lying  between  the  St.  Anthony  falls  and  lake  Superior  in 
1767,  and  published  an  account  of  the  same  in  London 
the  following  year. 

In  1820,  only  a  few  months  after  the  location  of  Ft. 
Snelling,  the  historian  Schoolcraft  accompanied  Gen. 
Lewis  Cass  on  a  government  expedition  through  the  same 
region ;  and  in  1823  conducted  a  similar  expedition  him- 
self, which  resulted  in  the  discovery  of  the  true  source  of 
the  Mississippi  river,  and  in  the  publication  of  much  val- 
uable and  interesting  material  relative  thereto. 

Following  the  reports  of  these  discoveries,  interest 
began  to  be  awakened  among  individuals  and  the  various 
Missionary  societies  in  regard  to  the  spiritual  condition 
and  needs  of  the  various  native  tribes  found  to  be  occu- 
pying these  then  far  away  regions.  And  among  the  very 
first  to  offer  their  services  for  the  good  of  the  Indian 
were  the  Rev.  Frederick  Ayer  and  his  courageous  wife ; 
who,  accompanied  by  Mr.  W.  A.  Aitken,  located,  in  the 
spring  of  1831,  their  first  mission  station  at  Sandy  lake, 
not  far  from  the  Mississippi  river.  There,  also,  Mrs. 
Ayer  opened  her  first  school  for  the  instruction  of  the 
native  children, — the  first  ever  opened  in  the  northern 
portion  of  what  is  now  the  state  of  Minnesota.  The 
following  year  they  returned  to  La  Pointe,  and  from 
there  they  went  to  Yellow  lake;  Mr.  E.  F.  Ely  having 
succeeded  them  at  Sandy  Lake  as  teacher  and  catechist. 
About  1832-3  a  mission  station  was  opened  at  Leech  lake 
by  the  Rev.  W.  T.  Boutwell ;  and  another  at  Fon  du  Lac, 
near  the  head  of  lake  Superior,  in  1834. 

In  the  spring  of  1835  the  Ayers,  having  but  recently 
removed  from  Yellow  lake,  established  another  mission 
at  lake  Pokegama,  some  distance  north  of  their  first  loca- 
tion at  Sandy  lake.  When  joined  the  following  year  by 
Messrs.  Boutwell  and  Ely,  the  new-comers  found  on 
their  arrival  there,  "some  ground  already  cleared,  a  school 


IN  THE  OJIBWAT  COUNTRY 


building,  with  a  school  in  charge  of  Mrs.  Ayer,  and  also 
a  number  of  log  dwellings  built  and  occupied  by  the  In- 
dians and  their  families." 

Here  for  several  years  the  missionaries  of  the  Ameri- 
can Board  continued  to  labor  in  comparative  tranquility; 
during  which  time  great  changes  were  wrought  in  the 
spiritual,  as  well  as  temporal  condition  of  the  natives. 
But  this  promising  work  was  brought  to  a  sudden  and 
unhappy  termination  by  an  unexpected  attack  of  the  hos- 
tile Sioux,  who  slaughtered  a  number  of  the  unoffending 
Ojibways,  and  caused  the  rest  to  flee  from  their  homes 
and  seek  a  less  exposed  shelter  elsewhere. 

This  fresh  outbreak  among  the  Indians  necessitated 
th  withdrawal  of  the  missionaries  from  the  region,  and 
seriously  interfered  for  a  time  with  all  further  move- 
ments to  and  fro  of  a  peaceable  sort.  They  could  only 
wait,  therefore,  in  patience  and  hope  for  the  way  to  open, 
which  now  appeared  to  be  almost  hopelessly  closed.  Hap- 
pily they  had  not  long  to  wait  for  the  "moving  of  the 
cloud ;"  for  only  a  few  months  later,  a  treaty  was  affected 
with  all  the  tribes  living  northwest  of  lake  Superior,  and 
they  were  free  to  resume  with  revived  faith  and  courage 
their  recently  suspended  labors  among  a  dispersed  but 
interesting  people. 


n 

A  CALL  FROM  THE  WILD. 

From  the  wild  heart  of  a  Minnesota  forest  to  the 
classic  halls  of  Oberlin  college  was,  a  couple  of  genera- 
tions ago,  indeed  "a  far  cry ;"  nevertheless  it  is  here  that 
the  beginnings  of  the  present  narrative  are  to  be  found. 
Planted  by  sons  of  the  pilgrim  fathers  in  the  early  set- 
tlement of  the  country,  this  noble  institution  of  Chris- 
tian learning  has  loyally  continued  to  realize  the  faith  and 
purpose  of  its  founders ;  and  stands  today  the  pride  and 
ornament  of  one  of  northern  Ohio's  most  beautiful  and 
cultured  towns. 

Under  the  presidency  of  the  famous  revivalist,  Dr. 
Chas.  G.  Finney,  the  college  reached  its  high-water  mark 
of  religious  fervor  and  missionary  zeal ;  and  came  to  be 
widely  known  as  a  choice  recruiting  ground  for  the  army 
of  consecrated  heroes  already  pushing  their  conquests  to 
the  uttermost  parts  of  the  earth.  It  was  during  this 


6  IN  THK  OJIBWAY  COUNTRV 

period,  in  the  autumn  of  1842,  that  the  college  was  visited 
by  some  of  the  recently  exiled  missionaries,  the  Ayers, 
who  after  more  than  a  dozen  years  of  patient,  self-deny- 
ing labor  among  the  Indian  tribes  of  the  far  northwest, 
had  come  hither  in  the  hope  of  securing  additional  labor- 
ers for  their  vast  and  newly-opened  field. 

Their  plain,  unvarnished  recital  of  missionary  enter- 
prise and  achievement  among  the  benighted  natives  of 
those  remote  regions,  was  listened  to  by  both  the  faculty 
and  students  with  deepest  interest;  and  a  number  of  the 
latter  were  moved  to  a  prayerful  consideration  of  the 
claims  of  the  unevangelized  races  of  their  own  land  upon 
their  Christian  sympathies  and  devotion. 

The  first  to  declare  himself  ready  at  once  to  accompany 
these  veterans  to  their  distant  field  was  young  Spencer, 
a  j)ale,  slender  youth,  whose  baptismal  name,  "David 
Brainard,"  served  to  recall  the  apostolic  labors  of  his 
godly  predecessor,  who  a  hundred  years  before  had  worn 
out  his  consecrated  life  among  the  wretched  natives  of 
"Cross weeksung"  and  the  ever  memorable  "forks  of  the 
Delaware." 

Leaving  his  wife  and  their  two  young  sons  among  kind 
friends  and  relatives  in  the  vicinity  of  Oberlin,  Mr.  Ayer 
and  his  youthful  ally  set  out  almost  immediately  in  the 
face  of  approaching  winter,  for  the  distant  scene  of  their 
future  labors — their  object  being  to  explore  the  country 
and  to  make  ready  for  the  work  contemplated  for  the 
following  spring — when,  as  they  had  reason  to  hope,  a 
larger  force  of  workers  would  be  ready  to  accompany 
Mrs.  Ayer  and  her  sons  to  the  scenes  with  which  she 
had  already  become  familiar. 

Passing  as  speedily  as  possible  around  the  great  lakes, 
their  tedious  journey  being  much  interrupted  by  autum- 
nal gales  and  other  trying  conditions,  they  finally  arrived 


IN   THE  OJIBWAY  COUNTRY 


at  La  Pointe,  situated  on  one  of  the  Apostle  islands  off 
the  south  coast  of  lake  Superior.  Here  was  located  a 
trading  post  of  the  American  fur  company ;  and  near  by 
was  also  a  Mission  station  of  the  American  Board,  with 
Revs.  Wheeler  and  Hall  in  charge.  At  this  longed-for 
haven  the  tired,  weather-beaten  travellers  were  most  cor- 
dially welcomed,  and  the  time  of  their  brief  sojourn  was 
fully  occupied  with  preparations  for  an  extended  tour 
thro  the  region  lying  some  hundreds  of  miles  to  the  north- 
west of  their  present  stopping  place. 

After  providing  themselves  with  a  couple  of  "dog 
trains,"  and  the  necessary  supplies  for  the  journey,  they 
;-:ct  forth  on  their  wintry  undertaking.  Proceeding  for  a 
hundred  miles  along  the  ice-bound  shore  of  the  lake,  they 
arrived  at  Fon  du  Lac,  at  the  mouth  of  the  St.  Louis 
river,  and  nearly  opposite  the  site  of  the  present  city  of 
Duluth.  At  the  trading  post  located  here  they  made  a 
brief  stop  in  order  to  replenish  their  supplies;  after 
which,  taking  their  bearings,  they  plunged  with  their  dogs 
into  the  wintry  depths  of  the  forest. 

It  was  a  wild  and  dreary  region  thro  which  their 
course  now  lay.  Its  only  inhabitants  were  remnants  of 
the  untaught  native  tribes  and  the  numerous  wild  beasts 
infesting  the  forest.  Accompanied  only  by  their  faithful 
dogs  they  traced  the  uncertain  trails  of  the  gloomy  wil- 
derness day  after  day,  reposing  with  them  at  night  be- 
neath the  silent  stars  and  the  ever-moaning  pines.  How- 
ever accustomed  the  veteran  Ayer  might  be  to  such  an 
environment,  bewildering  indeed  to  his  less  experinced 
companion  was  the  sudden  transition  from  college  halls 
and  mates  to  the  wild  and  inhospitable  solitudes  of  the 
"forest  primeval ;"  whose  shrouded  pines  and  disman- 
tled oaks  and  maples  were  rocked  betimes  by  howling 
blasts,  and  echoed  dismally  to  the  distant  cry  of  hungry 
wolves  fiercely  pursuing  their  prey. 


8  IN  THK  OJIBWAV  COUNTRY 


But  the  constant  novelty  and  excitement  incident  to 
the  strange  journey,  the  tingling  ozone  of  the  frost-laden 
atmosphere,  and  above  all  the  abiding  sense  of  the  Mas- 
ter's presence  and  approval,  sustained  His  lonely  ser- 
vants even  there  and  nerved  them  anew  for  their  life- 
long ministry  of  self-denying  toil  and  hardship  for  the 
welfare  of  the  benighted  heathen.  Inspired  by  the  spirit 
and  example  of  their  divine  Master,  they  pursued  their 
difficult  and  lonely  journey  along  the  unaccustomed  trails 
by  day ;  and  wrapping  themselves  at  night  in  their  heavy 
fur  robes,  lay  down  before  the  blazing  fire  of  their  other- 
wise cheerless  camp,  to  dream  of  home  and  loved  ones 
far  away. 

Two  long  winter  months  were  thus  spent  in  exploring 
the  wilderness,  resulting  in  the  selection  of  a  couple  of 
sites  for  the  location  of  mission  stations  in  the  spring. 
One  of  these  was  at  Leech  lake,  fully  two  hundred  miles 
from  the  head  of  lake  Superior;  the  other  some  seventy 
miles  farther  north,  on  the  south  shore  of  Red  lake. 

Kindly  received  by  the  large  bodv  of  Indians  located 
there,  and  having  made  satisfactory  arrangements  with 
their  chiefs,  they  at  once  commenced  operations  at  the 
latter  place,  building  a  bark  hut  and  clearing  some  ground 
for  the  planting  of  a  garden  early  the  following  spring. 
Then,  upon  the  completion  of  these  preliminary  prepara- 
tions, Mr.  Ayer  returned  with  his  dogs  to  La  Pointe  in 
order  to  anticipate  the  uncertain  arrival  of  his  family  and 
such  other  helpers  as  might  have  been  found  willing  to 
accompany  them  at  the  close  of  the  college  year.  But 
for  several  long  months  thereafter  the  lonely  outpost  on 
the  shore  of  the  far  northern  lake,  remained  in  the  charge 
of  its  solitary  sentinel — the  brave  young  Spencer. 


III. 

OBERLIN'S  RESPONSE. 

Meanwhile  interest  in  the  new  missionary  movement 
continued  to  spread  thro  northern  Ohio  centering  about 
Oberlin — resulting  in  the  consecration  of  a  number  of 
young  persons  for  the  work  from  the  college,  and  in  the 
formation  of  a  new  society  to  aid  in  their  support  on  the 
field.  Dr.  Wm.  Lewis,  P.  O.  Johnston,  Alonzo  Barnard 
and  their  wives,  and  Sela  G.  Wright  formed  the  advance 
guard  of  a  still  larger  company  of  workers  who  followed 
them  in  after  years  to  the  northern  frontier. 

The  newly  organized  Society  under  whose  auspices 
they  went  forth,  being  as  yet  without  funds  or  wealthy 
patronage,  could  promise — in  addition  to  such  merely 
nominal  aid  in  the  way  of  clothing  and  industrial  sup- 
plies as  the  local  church  societies  might  be  able  to  furnish 
— only  their  "sympathy  and  prayers." 


10  IN  THE  OJIBWAY  COUNTRY 

With  small  expectation,  therefore,  of  receiving  any 
substantial  assistance  from  their  fellow  Christians,  the 
little  band  of  missionary  volunteers  bade  farewell  to 
friends  and  college  halls,  and  resolutely  committing  them- 
selves to  the  "God  of  missions,"  were  soon  on  their  way 
with  Mrs.  Ayer  to  seek  in  the  distant  wilderness  the  field 
of  their  future  labors  for  the  Master  they  loved. 

While  the  journey  of  these  young  people  was  seldom 
lacking  in  novelty,  variety  of  new  and  strange  scenery, 
and  oftimes  startling  and  interesting  experiences,  yet 
viewed  as  a  "pleasure  trip,"  it  had  very  little  in  common 
with  any  of  the  delightful  summer  excursions  so  attract- 
ively advertised  at  the  present  time  by  the  public  carriers, 
covering  the  same  or  similar  routes  and  completed  in  a 
few  hours,  or  days  at  the  furthest. 

Mr.  Wright,  the  bachelor  member  of  the  party,  has 
furnished  most  of  the  details  of  the  trip: 

Passing  late  in  June  up  the  lakes  to  Detroit,  they  were 
cordially  received  by  a  warm  and  generous  friend  of  mis- 
sions, Robert  Stuart,  Esq.  This  gentleman,  who  had  also 
studied  at  Oberlin,  was  at  the  time  Superintendent  of  In- 
dian affairs  for  the  northwestern  territory;  and  it  was 
thro  him  that  the  treaty  with  the  Indians  the  previous 
summer  had  been  effected.  It  was  also  owing  to  his  wise 
management  and  warm  interest  in  the  welfare  of  the 
natives  that  the  inauguration  of  the  work  among  them 
was  now  made  possible  and  desirable.  An  earnest  Chris- 
tian himself,  and  possessing  a  large  fund  of  practical  wis- 
dom and  experience  in  dealing  with  the  Indians,  he  was 
capable  of  imparting  much  valuable  information  and  ad- 
vice to  the  young  missionaries  just  out  of  college,  with 
reference  to  the  management  of  their  future  work. 

From  Detroit  they  proceeded  as  far  as  Ste.  Marie, 
where  for  two  entire  weeks  they  were  compelled  to  await 
the  arrival  of  the  one  little  sailing  vessel  then  on  the 
lake,  and  which  was  owned  by  the  American  fur  com- 


IN  THE  OJIBWAY  COUNTRY  11 


pany.  The  buildings  found  there  were  exceedingly  rude 
and  primitive,  consisting  wholly  of  logs,  and  of  a  single 
story  in  height.  The  only  imaginable  exception  to  this 
order  was  a  "three  story"  hotel,  with  all  three  stories  on 
the  ground,  and  formed  by  the  union  of  three  small  log 
buildings.  The  goods  at  this  point  had  to  be  unloaded 
and  hauled  around  the  "  rapids,"  a  distance  of  nearly 
two  miles,  by  means  of  little  Indian  ponies  hitched  to  the 
primitive  two-wheeled  carts ! 

Could  any  one  of  that  little  company  of  scarcely  more 
than  three-score  years  ago  be  permitted  to  pass  those 
same  "rapids"  today — controlled  by  their  massive  locks 
of  granite  and  iron,  thro  which  is  constantly  pouring  the 
immense  and  varied  tonnage  of  mighty  empires — how 
marvelous  would  seem  the  transformations  of  the  inter- 
vening years.  And  a  similar  observation  might  also  be 
made  with  regard  to  the  proud  young  cities  of  Duluth 
and  Superior,  past  whose  now  populous  shores  and 
crowded  docks,  only  the  Fur  Company's  "one  little  sail- 
ing vessel"  was  then  wont  to  make  an  occasional  trip. 

After  the  lengthy  delay  at  Ste.  Marie,  and  another 
two  weeks  on  the  way  thence  to  La  Pointe,  the  young 
recruits  were  cordially  welcomed  by  the  older  mission- 
aries located  there ;  and  also  by  Mr.  Ayer,  who  was  anx- 
iously awaiting  the  long  looked-for  arrival  of  his  wife 
and  the  two  little  boys.  It  was  at  once  decided  in  council 
with  the  other  missionaries,  that  Dr.  Lewis  and  Mr. 
Johnston  and  their  wives,  together  with  an  interpreter, 
should  occupy  the  station  at  Leech  lake ;  while  the  others 
would  proceed  to  Red  lake,  some  seventy  miles  farther, 
and  relieve  the  heroic  Spencer  of  the  sole  responsibility 
of  his  mission  there. 

Inasmuch  as  prompt  action  was  necessary  in  order  to 
make  the  needful  preparation  for  the  ensuing  winter,  the 
younger  men  were  advised  to  set  out  immediately  for 
their  respective  fields ;  Mr.  Ayer  and  the  women  to  fol- 


12  IN  THE  OJIBWAY  COUNTKY 

low  later  upon  the  return  of  the  vessel  with  the  household 
goods,  which,  for  lack  of  space,  they  had  been  compelled 
to  leave  behind  at  Detroit. 

The  distance  remaining  to  be  traversed  by  the  party 
before  reaching  their  destination  was  fully  three  hundred 
miles — the  first  stage  of  their  journey  after  leaving  the 
lake  being  by  way  of  the  St.  Louis  river.  A  canoe  of  the 
largest  pattern,  formed  of  birch  bark,  about  twenty-four 
feet  in  length,  and  capable  of  carrying  a  ton's  burden, 
was  accordingly  procured;  and  with  it  three  French 
"voyageurs"  to  row  the  same  up  stream.  Everything, 
including  the  clothing,  flour,  and  other  needful  supplies, 
was  put  up  in  packs  of  seventy-five  pounds  each — all  of 
which,  ?.s  well  as  the  boat  itself,  the  men  had  to  carry  on. 
their  shoulders  over  the  "portages,"  or  carrying  places, 
between  the  non-connecting  streams. 

It  was  the  last  week  in  Ju]y  when  the  party  set  out 
from  La  Pointe.  Making  their  way  in  their  large  canoe 
nlong  the  south  shore  of  the  lake,  their  first  stopping 
place  was  Fon  dn  Lac,  where  they  found  a  Methodist 
mission  station,  in  charge  of  an  interpreter.  During 
their  brief  stay  here,  the  travellers  enjoyed  rare  oppor- 
tunities for  observing  some  of  the  customs  and  domestic 
habits  of  the  Indians ;  but  as  even  their  boatmen  could 
not  understand  or  speak  a  word  of  English,  their  facili- 
ties for  Inter-communication  were  practically  nil.  They 
were,  however,  able  to  obtain  here  their  first  object  les- 
son in  Indian  cookery,  which  in  respect  to  both  form  and 
substance  was  but  poorly  calculated  to  whet  the  appetite 
of  a  modern  epicure,  if  such  they  had  been. 

From  this  point  they  preceded  up  the  St.  Louis  river; 
then  carrying  their  boat  and  baggage  over  the  divide,  and 
descending  a  smaller  stream,  they  entered  the  Mississippi 
river  in  the  vicinity  of  Sandy  lake.  Here  they  found 
another  Methodist  mission,  planted  by  the  Ayers  nearly 


IN   THK  OJIBWAY  COUNTRY  13 

a  dozen  years  previously,  and  occupied  by  the  Methodist 
missionaries  since  1839.  At  this  place,  as  at  others  along 
the  route,  were  still  to  be  seen  the  remains  of  the  old 
French  trading  posts  of  the  Northwestern  fur  company, 
established  throughout  the  region  more  than  a  century 
before,  while  the  country  was  still  under  French  domina- 
tion. 

At  Leech  lake  Messrs.  Lewis  and  party  were  install- 
ed ;  and  passing  thence  up  the  Mississippi  river,  the  bal- 
ance of  the  company  arived  some  time  later  at  Poke- 
gaina,  located  at  the  rapids  of  the  same  name,  and  con- 
sisting of  a  small  Indian  village  and  trading  post.  Here 
they  were  reminded  of  the  earlier  labors  and  trials  of 
their  senior  missionaries,  with  the  sad  disturbances  and 
flight  of  the  previous  summer.  However,  out  of  the 
somber  shadows  of  a  sorrowful  past  they  felt  that  a 
brighter  day  was  about  to  dawn,  as  both  here  and  indeed 

all  along  the  way  to  their  new  field  thev  had  found  the 
•  •  •  *  "'"/  !  >'  /  I/ 

natives  ''exceedingly  kind  and  friendly." 

After  passing  Cass  lake  ,and  having  carried  their  boat 
and  contents  over  the  continental  divide,  a  few  more  days 
of  continuous  rowing  sufficed  to  bring  the  weary  voyag- 
ers within  sight  of  their  desired  haven,  on  the  southern 
shore  of  the  Red  lake.  Here  they  found  a  large  body  of 
very  peaceable  Indians,  fully  twelve  hundred  in  number  ; 
and  whose  chief  and  head  men  received  them  very:  ?cor- 
dially  expressing  themselves  as  being  much  pleased:  that 
the  "teachers"  had  come  to  live  among  them,  under  their 
sheltering  pines  and  by  the  wave-washed  shore  of  their 
noble  lake. 


>t\T     .•_/  < 
.  rlxo  bm 


IV. 

MAKING  A  HOME  IN  THE  WILDERNESS. 

It  was  at  Red  lake,  also,  that  the  new-comers  found 
their  "Livingston" — young  Spencer,  who  for  six  long 
months  had  remained  a  weary,  but  faithful  sentinel  at 
his  lonely  post.  Hundreds  of  miles  from  any  one  with 
whom  he  might  be  able  to  converse  or  exchange  in  a  fa- 
miliar tongue  a  Christian  salutation,  they  found  him  liv- 
ing in  his  little  bark  hut,  cultivating  a  small  garden,  and 
subsisting  almost  wholly  on  fish  and  the  meager  allow- 
ance of  maple  sugar  with  which  he  had  been  supplied 
from  time  to  time  by  the  friendly  Indians. 

The  lake  was  reached  on  the  I4th  day  of  August — just 
six  weks  from  the  date  of  their  setting  out  from  La 
Pointe.  They  had  found  the  journey  a  sufficiently  pain- 
ful and  exhausting  one,  toiling  almost  constantly  at  the 
oars  in  rowing  the  boat  up  stream,  or  in  carrying  the 


IN  THE  OJIBWAY  COUNTRY 


15 


heavy  burdens  over  the  portages  in  the  hot  mid-summer 
days:  and  compelled  at  night — oftimes  amid  violent 
storms — to  sleep  in  the  open  air,  without  tents  or  shelter 
of  any  sort.  Meanwhile  they  were  tortured  both  day  and 
night  almost  beyond  endurance  by  the  ever-insatiable 
swarms  of  mosquitoes. 

Very  grateful,  therefore,  it  seemed  to  the  tired  way- 
farers, to  be  permitted  to  lay  down  at  last  the  long  accus- 
tomed oars,  and  rest  from  the  weary  voyage  on  the  peace- 
ful shore  of  the  forest-fringed  lake,  where  for  a  time  at 
least  the  field  of  their  future  activities  was  to  be  found. 

The  young  missionaries  were  charmed  with  the  lake 
and  its  lovely,  restful  surroundings.  Heavily  timbered 
along  its  southern  shore  where  their  camp  was  to  be 
located,  it  stretched  far  away  to  the  east  and  north, 
enclosing  a  veritable  inland  sea.  Its  waters  were  abund- 
antly supplied  with  excellent  fish ;  while  the  soil  in  the 
immediate  vicinity  was  found  to  be  exceedingly  deep 
and  fertile. 

Upon  inquiring  of  the  Indians  concerning  the  origin  of 
the  name  by  which  the  lake  was  known,  they  were  in- 
formed of  the  traditional  belief  that  under  the  water  was 
another  world,  forming  a  sort  of  counterpart  to  the  one 
we  inhabit;  that  it  is  also  inhabited  by  men  and  animals 
the  same  as  our  own ;  and  that  far  back  in  the  remote 
past  there  was  a  desperate  battle  among  the  animals,  in 
which  great  numbers  were  killed — their  blood  giving  to 
the  water  of  the  lake  its  reddish  tinge. 

The  missionaries  had  brought  some  flour  with  them; 
but  having  encountered  frequent  storms  on  the  way,  it 
had  become  moldy  and  sour.  Yet  this  same  flour,  to- 
gether with  some  maple  sugar  obtained  from  the  Indians — 
and  an  occasional  fish — was  for  many  weeks  thereafter 
their  only  food,  until  an  additional  supply  was  obtained 
from  the  Red  river  settlement  in  Manitoba.  They  had 


16  IN  THE  OJIBWAY  COUNTRY 

neither  salt  nor  grease  of  any  kind ;  and  when  young 

Spencer  was  asked  how  he  had  managed  to  subsist  so 

long  on  maple  sugar  alone,  he  quietly  replied,  "Oh,  it's 

;  easy  enough— when  one  gets  accustomed  to  it ;  I've  had 

., little  else  to,  eat  ever  since  last  spring.' 

A  few  days  after  the  arrival  of  the  men,  Messrs  Barn- 
,ard  and  Wright  went  out  in  search  of  meadow  land  for 
hay,.  Jhis  .they  .found  some  fifteen  miles  west  of  their 
camp,  and  proceeded  at  once  to  secure  the  crop.  Their 
;diet— consisting  .meanwhile  of  the  two  above-mentioned 
articles^  maple  sugar  and  sour  flour — proved  to  be  rather 
slender,  fare  for  vigorous  young  men  in  a  new  country, 
and  possessed  of  ravenous  appetites.  Nevertheless,  at 
the  iend,  of  a  week  of  strenuous  toil,  they  had  succeeded 
in  putting  nearly  a  dozen  tons  of  hay  in  stack,  cutting  it 
with  a  scythe, -and  carrying  it  thither  by  hand  on  a  rack 
made  of  light  poles. 

Having  secured  their  crop  of  hay,  they  next  turned 
with  all  their  remaining  strength  to  the  task  of  providing 
a, ;  suitable,  shelter  for  themselves  and  families  for  the 
winter,  as  that  season  was  evidently  drawing  nigh.  A 
commodious  log  hut  was  begun  and  partly  completed 
when  the  Ayers  and  Mrs.  Barnard  made  their  long-look- 
ed-for  appearance  at  the  little  camp. 
.jj,VfThis>,"j|Writes  Mr.  Barnard,  "was  on  the  6th  day  of 
October— the  anniversary  of  my  wife's  birthday,  as  well 
as  her  introduction  to  the  scene  of  her  subsequent  mis- 
sionary labors."  Long  and  anxiously  had  the  arrival  of 
these  expected  ones  been  awaited — the  men  going  forth 
in  the  .evening  twilight,  after  the  toils  of  the  day  were 
over,  hoping,  perchance,  to  catch  some  glimpse  of  the  pil- 
grims emerging  from  the  shadows  of  the  forest.  And 
when  at  last  they  were  discovered  wearily  approaching 
over  the  well-worn  trail — the  women  sharing  the  bur- 
dens with  Mr.  Ayer  and  the  little  boys — their  joy  was 


IN  THlfi  OJIBWAY  COUNTKY  17 


unbounded ;  and  hastening  forward  they  exchanged  their 
mutual  greetings,  after  which  the  travel-worn  strangers 
were  escorted  in  high  honor  to  the  restful  shelter  of  their 
forest  home. 

Jt  was  inded  a  joyous  company  that  gathered  around 
the  cheerful  camp  fire  on  that  long  remembered  autumn 
night,  and  recounted  their  many  and  strange  experiences 
and  hardships  by  the  way.  And  then,  when  all  on  bended 
knee  poured  forth  their  thanksgivings  to  the  "God  of 
missions,"  and  implored  His  grace  and  guidance  thro  the 
coming  days,  their  worship  arose  as  incense  above  the 
reverent  pines. 

Scarcely  had  the  weary  pilgrims  entered  the  shelter  of 
their  winter  huts,  when  a  terrific  tempest,  roaring  from 
the  icy  north,  was  upon  them.  It  caught  them  entirely 
unwarned,  and  was  followed  by  such  a  sudden  drop  in 
the  temperature  that  it  resulted  in  the  immediate  freezing 
over  of  the  lake;  and  with  it  the  consequent  distress  on 
the  part  of  both  the  missionaries  and  of  the  natives  as 
well,  by  reason  of  the  scant  supply  of  fish  provided  as  yet 
for  the  winter.* 

Thankful,  now,  for  the  most  humble  shelter,  it  soon 
became  evident  that  they  would  have  to  forego,  for  the 
present,  the  hope  of  completing  the  main  structure  of 
the  building  upon  which,  ever  since  their  arrival  in  the 
country,  they  had  labored  incessantly  almost  day  and 
night  to  complete.  However,  they  succeeded  in  adding 

*NOTE.  The  arctic  wave  which  the  Red  lake  mission- 
aries experienced,  (Oct.  12-16)  was  the  same  that  swept 
so  unheralded  over  the  western  country;  and  the  same 
that  overtook  the  intrepid  Whitman  and  Lovejoy  amid 
the  snows  of  the  Wasatch  mountains,  on  their  memor- 
able journey  eastward  to  prevent  the  loss  of  Oregon  in 
the  contemplated  treaty  with  England. 


18  IN  THE  OJIBWAY  COUNTRY 

to  the  little  bark  hut  which  young  Spencer  had  occupied, 
a  small  buildings  of  rude  logs.  The  bark  hut  then  served 
for  a  kitchen  and  dining  room;  while  the  log  structure 
was  made  to  answer  the  purpose  of  "parlor"  and  bed- 
room— as  well  as  for  "chapel"  purposes  on  the  Sabbaths. 
Thus,  altho  their  quarters  were  small  enough  for  a  fam- 
ily of  six  adults  and  two  children,  all  were  "good  natured 
and  happy  in  themselves  and  in  each  other." 


V. 

MOTIVES  AND  METHODS. 

As  we  think  of  this  little  band  of  missionaries,  dwell- 
ing uncomplainingly  among  the  heathen  in  the  silent 
depths  of  a  lonely  forest,  we  may  well  pause  to  inquire 
concerning  the  motives  that  led  them  to  relinquish  thus 
voluntarily,  and  without  hope  of  earthly  reward,  the  en- 
deared associations  of  home  and  native  land  for  the 
strange  and  trying  experiences  certainly  awaiting  them 
in  the  wilderness. 

They  were  assuredly  not  driven  thither  by  the  cruel 
hand  of  tyranny  or  religious  persecution,  in  order  that 
they  might  worship  the  God  of  their  fathers  unmolested ; 
nor  were  they  drawn  to  so  inhospitable  and  wild  a  region 
by  the  prospect  of  earthly  riches  or  honor;  neither  was 
it  by  such  romantic  aspirations  as  sometimes  takes  pos- 
of  the  minds  of  restless  youth.  On  the  contrary, 


20  IN   THK  (>JJB\VAY   COUNTRY 


they  had  fully  counted  the  cost.  Trials,  hardships  and 
privations,  as  well  as  perils  of  various  kinds,  they  had 
been  led  to  anticipate;  and  in  respect  to  no  one  of  these 
were  they  in  any  wise  disappointed.  There  was  little  of 
so-called  romance  connected  with  the  actual  work  among 
the  heathen.  If  they  had  been  influenced  by  any  such 
notion  it  was  quickly  dispelled  when  they  found  them- 
selves in  the  heart  of  an  unbroken  wilderness  hundreds  of 
miles  from  any  signs  of  civilization  (apart  from  the  set- 
tlement in  Manitoba),  and  confronted  by  the  stern  neces- 
sity of  building  their  own  houses,  clearing  the  ground  of 
its  heavy  growth  of  timber,  and  afterwards  preparing 
the  soil  for  growing  their  own  food. 

No ;  having  sat  at  the  feet  of  their  divine  Master,  they 
had  caught  something  of  His  spirit,  and  longed  to  fol- 
low Him  forth  on  His  errand  of  mercy  to  a  lost  world. 
They  had  heard,  also,  the  pathetic  story  that  had  inspired 
the  heroic  Parkman,  Whitman,  and  others,  concerning 
the  long  and  fruitless  quest  of  the  benighted  tribes  of  the 
far  west,  for  the  "white  man's  book  of  heaven."  In  the 
midst  of  a  "century  of  dishonor,"  the  appeal  of  the  hith- 
erto neglected  red  man  for  a  share  of  the  light  that  had 
been  shining  thro  many  centuries  of  the  white  man's  path, 
had  echoed  thro  the  land;  and  many  whose  hearts  had 
been  stirred  thereby  were  made  willing  to  go  forth  at  the 
call  of  God  and  humanity  to  minister,  at  whatever  cost, 
to  the  perishing  children  of  the  wilderness — in  His  name. 

The  evangelistic  spirit  so  deeply  impressed  upon  the 
faculty  and  students  of  Oberlin  in  the  past,  now  burst 
forth  into  a  living  flame;  and  as  this  fresh  call  for  help 
was  sounded  in  their  ears,  one  after  another  rose  and 
answered,  "Here  am  I;  send  me!" 

No  one  of  this  youthful  band  of  "student  volunteers" 
shrank  back  from  the  sacrifice  demanded ;  but  cheerfully 
laid  themselves  upon  the  altar — "for  service  or  sacrifice." 


IN    THE  OJ1LUVAY   COU.NTKY  21 

Some  had  already  been  looking  hopefully  towards  the 
western  shore  of  Africa,  having  listened  with  sympa- 
thetic hearts  to  the  earnest  appeals  of  the  sainted  Bush- 
nell  for  helpers  in  that  far-off  land  of  darkness  and 
death.  Others,  however,  decided  to  enter  the  scarcely 
less  difficult  fields  awaiting  them  among  the  native 
tribes  occupying  the  remote  solitudes  of  their  own  be- 
loved land. 

Moreover,  in  going  forth  to  their  appointed  field,  these 
young  servants  of  Christ  carried  with  them  "neither 
scrip  nor  purse;"  nor  even  the  comfortable  assurance  of 
the  powerful  backing,  financial  support  and  assured  sym- 
pathy of  the  old  established  Missionary  Societies  of  the 
east.  But  casting  themselves  wholly  upon  the  all-wise 
and  omnipotent  arm  of  "the  God  of  missions"  for  need- 
ful guidance  and  support,  they  went  forth  joyfully  and 
trustfully  wheresoever  He  might  lead  the  way. 

Thus,  without  any  stipulated  salary,  and  for  the  first 
two  years  at  least — when  the  need  was  greatest — with- 
out one  word  of  information  or  encouragement  from  the 
little  home  Society  in  Ohio,  they  labored  on  patiently  at 
their  lonely  stations  with  unbated  zeal.  A  tone  of  con- 
stant cheerfulness  and  of  unfaltering  trust  in  God  per- 
vades almost  every  page  of  their  time-faded  journals  and 
letters  still  extant.  All  their  labors  were  begun  and  car- 
ried forward  with  prayer;  and  their  busiest  seasons  of 
toil  and  trial  were  brightened  at  times  with  gratful 
acknowledgements  of  the  Redeemer's  comforting  pres- 
ence. Thus  in  their  most  lonely  hours  they  still  could 
sing: 

"Alone,  yet  not  alone  am  I, 

In  this  vast  solitude  so  drear; 

I  feel  my  Savior  always  nigh ; 

He  comes  my  darkest  hours  to  cheer." 

It  is  to  be  observed,  moreover,  that  the  methods  which 


22  IN  THB  OJIBWAY  COUNTRY 

the  missionaries  employed  in  their  work  were  such  as 
their  circumstances,  and  their  sincere  desire  for  the  spir- 
itual and  temporal  welfare  of  the  poor  natives  among 
whom  their  lot  had  now  been  cast,  would  naturally  sug- 
gest. 

The  wives  of  the  missionaries,  besides  opening  their 
own  homes  for  the  instruction  of  the  native  children, 
were  also  in  the  habit  of  daily  visiting  the  Indian  women 
in  their  cheerless  huts  and  tepees.  Entering  these  dark 
and  smoky  habitations,  and  sitting  down  among  them  on 
the  ground — with  dogs  and  filth  and  vermin — they  would 
read  to  them  from  the  sacred  scriptures  and  patiently 
explain  to  their  dull  and  darkened  understandings  the 
way  of  salvation  and  everlasting  life.  Mingling  thus 
freely  with  them  in  their  wretched  homes,  they  were,  also 
ever  ready  to  assist  them  in  the  care  of  their  sick  and 
suffering  ones ;  or  teach  them,  as  the  opportunity  offered, 
such  helpful  things  as  the  proper  preparation  of  their 
food,  and  many  other  practical  household  ways. 

The  men,  also,  sought  both  by  precept  and  example  to 
lead  the  Indian  men  out  of  their  native  sloth  and  indiff- 
erence into  habits  of  thrift  and  useful  toil.  To  accom- 
plish this  was  found  to  be  no  easy  task.  But  the  younger 
members  of  the  company  would  sometimes  spend  days, 
and  even  weeks  at  a  time,  with  them — sharing  their  own 
food  with  them,  and  taking  the  lead  in  the  matter  of 
manual  labor;  and  were  ready  at  all  times  to  aid  and 
instruct  them  in  regard  to  the  clearing  of  their  land,  the 
building  of  more  comfortable  dwellings,  and  the  use  of 
different  implements  and  tools. 

Thus  in  various  ways  they  illustrated  before  the 
natives  continually  the  fact  and  potency  of  human  lives 
pervaded  with  the  spirit  of  their  divine  Master,  who 
came  "not  to  be  ministered  unto ;  but  to  minister,  and  to 
give  His  life  a  ransom  for  many." 


VI. 

INDIAN  LAW  AND  LANGUAGE. 

Very  soon  after  the  missionaries  were  established  in 
their  forest  home  a  serious  difficulty  arose  between  them- 
selves and  their  neighbors  with  regard  to  the  bestow- 
ment  of  presents.  Those  who  were  most  inclined  to 
complain  of  the  new-comers  were  the  young  men,  who 
insisted  that  if  the  white  people  were  permitted  to  live  in 
their  land,  fish,  and  drink  water  out  of  their  lake;  also 
build  houses,  cultivate  the  ground,  and  be  protected 
therein,  they  ought,  in  consideration  of  all  these  favors 
( !),  make  a  great  many  presents  to  the  men,  and  give 
something  to  the  women  and  children  besides. 

They  therefore  held  a  council  and  demanded  of  the 
chief,  who  was  really  a  remarkable  man,  that  he  should 
order  the  missionaries  to  leave  the  country  forthwith, 
unless  they  would  comply  with  this  requirement.  But 


24  IN  THE  OJIBWAY  COUNTRY 

the  old  chief,  listened  attentively  to  the  talk  of  the  young 
braves,  then  gravely  shook  his  head  and  quietly  replied, 
''Geh-e-kit-o-yan,  min-ge-kit!"  (What  I  have  said,  I  have 
said.) 

He  then  went  on  to  say,  "I  told  the  'teachers'  when 
they  came  here,  that  they  should  say  what  they  wished 
to  do  for  us ;  and  all  that  they  promised  to  do  was  writ- 
ten down,  and  our  trader  has  the  writing.  I  do  not  think 
they  have  broken  their  promises.  I  said  I  would  protect 
them  for  four  years,  which  would  give  them  ample  time 
to  prove  themselves  good  and  true  men.  I  told  them  if 
at  the  end  of  that  time  they  were  not  found  to  be  true 
men,  I  would  send  them  away.  Now  I  shall  not  alter 
what  I  have  said ;  and  you  are  not  to  interfere  with  them 
henceforth."  And  this  ended  the  controversy  in  regard 
to  the  matter.  The  position  taken  by  the  head  chief  was 
final ;  and  the  missionaries  never  afterward  had  any  ser- 
ious trouble  with  them  on  that  score. 

Referring  again  to  the  old  chief  at  Red  lake,  an  inci- 
dent occurred  sometime  after  this  that  raised  him  still 
higher  in  the  esteem  of  the  missionaries.  They  were  sur- 
prised one  day  by  the  arrival  of  three  officers  from  the 
Red  river  settlement  in  Manitoba.  They  had  been  sent 
by  the  governor  of  the  Hudson's  Bay  company;  and 
brought  letters  from  him  stating  that  one  of  the  Red  lake 
Indians  had  stolen  from  the  company  a  few  weeks  prev- 
iously a  sum  of  money  amounting  to  fifteen  hundred  dol- 
lars. He  remarked  in  his  letter  that  he  knew  he  had  no 
authority  to  arrest  the  guilty  party,  as  he  was  not  under 
his  jurisdiction;  but  he  had  sent  his  officers  to  request 
their  asistance  in  their  efforts  to  recover  the  money. 

The  old  chief  was  accordingly  called  in,  and  the  letter 
read  to  him ;  after  which  they  all  awaited  his  reply. 

"Yes,"  he  said,  "that  is  true ;  a  distant  relative  of  mine 
has  the  money — and  he  shall  deliver  it  up." 


IN  THK  OJIBWAY  COUNTRY  25 

The  thief  was  across  the  lake,  some  fifteen  miles  away ; 
but  the  chief  sent  two  of  his  head  men  after  him,  order- 
ing him  to  report  at  once  at  the  Mission — with  the 
money. 

In  the  meantime  the  chief  had  called  the  head  men  of 
the  tribe  together  at  his  house ;  and  as  soon  as  the  culprit 
had  arrived,  he  said  to  him,  "Lay  the  money  on  the 
table."  This  done,  he  said,  "Now  stand  up;  hold  up  your 
hand  and  swear  by  the  Great  Spirit  that  you  will  tell  us 
the  sober  truth  as  to  how  you  got  this  money." 

The  thief  then  arose,  held  up  his  hand  and  said,  "Nin- 
gah-dag-gay-de-kit-o-yan ;  nin-gah-ta-be-way-dush."  (,The 
Lord  of  all  shall  hear  what  I  shall  say ;  and  I  will  tell  the 
whole  truth.) 

He  then  proceeded  to  relate  how  he  had  stolen  the 
money : 

While  in  the  Settlement,  stopping  with  two  French 
half-breeds,  they  had  been  admitted  into  the  Company's 
store,  where  they  noticed  a  large  package  of  new  bank 
notes  lying  in  the  office.  When  they  came  out  they  began 
to  consult  how  they  might  get  possession  of  the  treasure. 
The  garret  window  was  open ;  and  they  at  once  perceived 
that  it  might  be  reached  by  means  of  a  ladder.  So  on  the 
following  night  they  succeeded  in  entering  the  store  and 
securing  the  prize.  However,  as  they  were  descending 
the  ladder — the  Indian  coming  down  last,  with  the  money 
in  his  hand — a  noise  was  heard  in  the  yard ;  at  which  the 
half-breds  took  fright  and  ran  away,  leaving  their  com- 
panion behind  with  the  roll  of  bills  in  his  hand.  He, 
however,  finding  himself  thus  deserted,  prudently  ran 
in  a  different  direction  from  the  others ;  and  being  now 
free  from  friends  and  foe  alike,  kept  on  his  way  unhin- 
dered, reaching  his  home  at  the  lake  some  days  later  with 
his  money. 

His  accomplices   were  afterwards   arrested,   and  told 


26  IN  THE  OJIBWAY  COUNTRY 

where  the  bills  were  likely  to  be  found.  Whereupon  the 
governor  had  dispatched  his  officers  to  endeavor  to  recov- 
er them.  The  chief  now  suggested  that  the  money  be 
carefully  counted,  to  see  if  it  were  all  there.  Having 
done  so,  they  found  the  exact  sum — fifteen  hundred 
dollars.* 

About  a  year  after  this  occurrence,  Mr.  Ayer  had  occa- 
sion to  make  a  trip  to  the  Settlement,  and  the  governor — 
in  addition  to  the  cordial  reception  tendered  him — saw 
fit  to  reciprocate  his  services  in  the  matter  by  presenting 
him  with  a  large  fat  ox. 

The  first  thing  demanding  the  attention  of  the  mis- 
sionaries after  matters  were  harmoniously  adjusted  with 
their  neighbors,  was  the  ever  present  question  with  re- 
gard to  food,  etc.  They  had  brought  nothing  into  the 
country,  excepting  the  small  quantity  of  moldy  flour, 
which  was,  in  spite  of  its  unpalatableness,  soon  exhausted. 
After  a  time  they  succeeded  in  purchasing  from  the  In- 
dians a  moderate  supply  of  corn  and  a  few  potatoes.  But, 
unfortunately,  the  greater  portion  of  the  potatoes  had 
already  been  frozen  by  the  early  frost ;  so  that  the  corn, 
which  they  ground  in  their  hand-mills,  was  their  chief 
dependence  thereafter. 

The  Indians,  having  failed  in  their  fall  fishing  on  ac- 
count of  the  early  freeing  over  of  the  lake,  prepared  to 
go  with  their  families  to  the  western  plains  for  the  win- 
ter, in  order  to  subsist  upon  the  buffalo.  These  animals 
were  to  be  found  at  that  time  in  almost  innumerable 
multitudes  in  the  Red  river  valley  and  beyond,  and  were 
comparatively  tame  and  harmless.  The  Indians  were 
accustomed  to  make  their  camps  in  the  vicinity  of  the 


*NOTE.  This  old  chief's  name  was  Way-win-che-gnon 
(Porcupine).  He  died  many  years  ago;  and  his  eldest  son 
succeeded  him  as  chief. 


IN  THE  OJIBWAY  COUNTRY  2" 


herd  and  dispatch  them  with  their  bows  and  arrows 
whenever  their  flesh  might  be  required  for  food,  their 
fat  for  fuel,  and  their  skins  for  robes  or  covering  for 
their  tepees.  Thus  the  buffalo  appeared  to  have  been 
especially  provided  for  the  Indian;  and  because  of  his 
utter  extinction  by  the  whites  in  later  years,  the  loss  to 
the  dependent  native  tribes  was  irreparable. 

With  the  departure  of  the  Indian  population  for  the 
winter,  the  missionaries  were  left  very  much  to  them- 
selves. Thus  they  had  ample  time  to  apply  themselves, 
under  the  instruction  of  their  efficient  teacher,  Mrs.  Ayer, 
to  the  study  of  the  native  language. 

And  this,  from  the  very  outset,  proved  to  be  no  light 
undertaking.  For  altho  they  had  understood,  before 
coming  into  the  country,  that  the  native  vocabulary  was 
very  small,  and  that  the  Indian  was  accustomed  to  com- 
municate his  ideas  in  part  by  the  use  of  signs  and  ges- 
tures, they  were  greatly  surprised  to  learn  that  just  the 
reverse  of  this  was  really  the  case;  and  that  their  lan- 
guage was  as  full  and  complete,  and  as  grammatical  in 
its  construction,  as  the  classical  Greek  and  Latin. 

Thev  were  greatly  aided  in  learing  the  conjugation 
of  the  verbs  by  means  of  an  old  manuscript,  which  they 
had  found  at  La  Pointe.  It  consisted  of  a  quire  of  fools- 
cap paper,  closely  written  on  both  sides  of  every  leaf; 
and  which  had  been  prepared  by  a  devout  and  scholarly 
surgeon  connected  with  the  army,  and  stationed  many 
years  previously  at  Ste.  Marie.  From  this  it  was  learned 
that  all  the  nouns  and  verbs  could  be  grouped  under  two 
general  heads,  and  described  as  "animate"  and  "inani- 
mate," no  gender  being  expressed.  The  same  distinction 
applying,  also,  to  all  qualifying  words,  as  adjectives,  etc. ; 
and  that  this  distinction  in  all  cases,  including  the  verb, 
is  expressed  by  the  terminations. 

The  greatest  difficulty  was  experienced  in  remembering 


28  IN  THE  OJIBWAY  COUNTRY 

the  almost  endless  terminations  of  the  verb — about  one 
thousand  changes  being  possible  from  any  single  verbal 
root,  every  one  of  which  was  liable  to  be  used  in  ordinary 
discourse.  Another  difficulty  was  discovered  in  attempt- 
ing to  pronounce  the  long  words.  Scarcely  twenty  mon- 
osyllables existed  in  the  entire  language,  while  every  pri- 
mary word,  being  composed  of  four  syllables,  might 
"grow  up"  to  as  many  as  sixteen  by  means  of  prefixes 
and  suffixes.  These  additions,  moreover,  required  to  be 
employed  with  great  exactness,  as  otherwise  one  might 
say  just  the  oposite  of  what  he  really  intended  to  express. 

As  they  proceeded  with  the  study  of  the  language,  their 
interest  increased,  and  their  wonder  grew  as  to  whence  it 
was  derived.  For  it  seemed  strange  indeed,  that  a  wild, 
barbarous  people  like  these  should  possess  a  language — 
all  unwritten — but  so  rich  and  copious;  containing  an 
abundance  of  words  to  express  any  shade  of  thought 
upon  any  subject  about  which  one  might  desire  to  impart 
information. 

The  study  of  the  native  language  proved  further  inter- 
esting from  the  fact  that  thro  it  they  were  enabled  to 
obtain  a  thoro  knowledge  of  the  religious  ideas  of  the 
natives.  It  was  a  common  observation  with  them  that 
the  language  was  not  only  very  ancient,  but  also  evidently 
that  of  a  people  who  had  originally  possessed  a  knowl- 
edge of  the  true  God.  There  was  no  lack  of  words  to 
express  all  that  the  Bible  has  to  say  in  regard  to  the 
attributes  of  the  divine  Being.  Indeed,  all  the  virtues  and 
vices,  the  extremes  of  happiness  and  misery,  as  well  as 
the  commandments  and  doctrines  enjoined  in  the  Scrip- 
tures, were  capable  of  being  fully  expressed  in  the  native 
vocabulary. 

Thus  it  appeared  that  the  very  language  of  these  poor 
Indians  affirmed  that  the  moral  law  is  written  upon  all 
human  hearts,  and  is  expressed  in  their  language;  and 


IN  THE  OJIBWAY  COUNTRY  29 

that  even  these  "wild,  untutored  savages"  undoubtedly 
have  the  [same  standard  of  right  and  wrong  that  we  have 
come  to  recognize  as  dwelling  in  our  own  hearts  and 
consciences.* 

*See  Appendix  "B." 


VII. 
MID- WINTER  TRIP  TO  FORT  GARRY. 

Deserted  thus  early  by  their  Indian  neighbors,  the  mis- 
sionaries decided  to  seek  more  intimate  relations  with  the 
white  Scotch  settlers  on  the  Red  river  in  Manitoba,  lying 
some  three  hundred  miles  farther  to  the  north. 

This  far  inland  colony,  composed  largely  of  Scotch 
Presbyterians  from  one  of  the  highland  counties  of  Scot- 
land, had  been  planted  on  land  purchased  from  the  Hud- 
son's Bay  company  by  Lord  Selkirk  some  thirty  years 
previous.  After  innumerable  hardships  and  perils  on  land 
and  sea,  and  the  most  persistent  and  heroic  struggles 
under  all  the  adverse  conditions  attending  their  unhappy 
lot,  they  had  attained  at  last  to  a  position  of  comparative 
comfort  and  freedom  in  their  adopted  home  in  the  wild 
heart  of  the  continent. 

Here  for  many  years  prior  to  the  founding  of  the  city 


IN  THE  OJIBWAY  COUNTRY  31 

of  Winnipeg,  the  settlers  had  led  a  most  isolated  life. 
Separated  from  all  other  sources  of  civilization,  their 
nearest  seaport  was  the  bleak  shore  of  the  Hudson's  bay 
many  hudreds  of  miles  to  the  north;  and  all  their  foreign 
supplies  and  communication  with  the  outside  world  were 
by  means  of  the  slow-going  sailing  vessels  of  the  Hud- 
son's Bay  company,  plying  for  brief  portions  of  the  year 
between  their  arctic  port  and  London,  England. 

After  some  years  of  misunderstanding  and  strife,  the 
colonists  were  permitted  to  live  on  friendly  terms  with 
the  surrounding  natives ;  often  mingling  with  them  in  the 
chase,  and  securing  their  respect  by  their  honest  dealing 
and  upright  lives. 

As  a  center  of  religious  and  educational,  as  well  as  of 
commercial  activity,  leavening  the  incoming  masses  of 
later  years,  and  imparting  to  the  young  Manitoban  cap- 
ital its  justly  enviable  position,  Lord  Selkirk  builded  bet- 
ter than  he  knew,  when  he  devoted  his  life  to  the  noble 
task  of  establishing  thus  early  the  sturdy  colony  out  of 
which  the  city  of  Winnipeg  was  later  to  arise. 

This  old  Selkirk  settlement  of  Kildonan,  founded  in 
the  spring  of  1812,  was  frequently  visited  by  the  Red  lake 
missionaries;  who  obtained  from  them  the  greater  por- 
tion of  their  supplies  and  cattle,  accompanied  by  a  most 
generous  and  Christian  hospitality  whenever  the  oppor- 
tunity was  afforded.  And  this  spirit  of  friendly  reciproc- 
ity, it  is  pleasant  to  observe,  still  largely  prevails  among 
the  later  residents  on  either  side  the  Manitoban  bound- 
ary. 

The  first  trip  undertaken  to  this  old  settlement  by  our 
missionaries,  was  made  during  the  winter  of  1843-4 — 
their  first  in  the  country.  That  such  a  journey,  in  the 
dead  of  winter,  at  that  early  period,  was  for  those  cour- 
ageous men,  no  light  undertaking,  the  following  account 
gathered  from  Mr.  Barnard's  diary  will  sufficiently  con- 
firm: 


32  IN  THE  OJIBWAY  COUNTRY 

Mr.  Ayer,  it  appears,  had  decided  to  take  his  two 
horses  with  him  to  exchange  for  oxen  and  provisions ; 
while  young  Barnard,  with  a  waning  ambition  to,  excel 
in  the  capture  of  bear  and  buffalo,  hoped  to  secure  in 
exchange  for  his  rifle  and  a  few  pieces  of  Ohio  cloth,  a 
much  needed  family  cow.  Their  traveling  outfit  con- 
sisted of  two  one-horse  "trains."  One  of  these  was 
made  after  the  fashion  of  a  modern  toboggan — a  name 
probably  derived  from  the  O  jib  way,  "otahbon" — consist- 
ing of  a  thin  board  about  sixteen  inches  in  width  and  ten 
or  twelve  feet  in  length,  with  the  thills  fastened  to  the  up- 
turned points  for  drawing  it  over  the  snow.  The  other 
vehicle  was  an  old-fashioned  "pung,"  or  jumper,  on  which 
the  more  bulky  articles,  such  as  hay  for  feed,  bedding, 
etc.,  were  placed. 

Provided  with  a  letter  of  introduction  from  their 
trader  to  a  prominent  Frenchman  at  Selkirk,  and  accom- 
panied by  a  young  Indian  guide,  they  set  out  on  the  last 
day  of  November  and  encamped  the  same  night  at  their 
hay  field,  some  ten  miles  from  the  Mission. 

The  morning  of  December  ist  dawned  bright  and 
frosty  upon  the  north-bound  travellers,  already  well  on 
their  way  down  the  lake  shore.  Leaving  the  lake  some 
distance  before  leaving  its  river  outlet,  they  struck  boldly 
across  the  frozen  marsh  bordering  it  on  the  south  in 
order  to  reach  the  river  at  a  safe  distance  below  the  open 
water  issuing  from  the  lake.  And  having  gained  the 
river,  the  ice  appeared  sufficiently  strong  to  permit  of 
their  trotting  at  a  lively  jog  along  its  edge ;  the  weather, 
meanwhile,  being  intensely  cold,  requiring  the  drivers  to 
wear  thick,  double  mittens  on  their  hands. 

The  second  day  after  leaving  the  lake  they  were  trot- 
ting leisurely  along  over  the  smooth  ice  of  the  river,  the 
guide  with  his  gun  over  his  shoulder  striding  ahead,  close- 
ly followed  by  Mr.  Ayer;  while  his  comrade,  seated 


IN  THB  OJIBWAY  COUNTRY  33 

Complacently  on  his  bundle  of  hay  on  the  old  "pung,"  arid 
diligently  conning  some  Indian  sentences  written  upon  a 
scrap  of  paper  held  in  his  hand,  completed  the  pictur- 
esque procession. 

Presently  the  attention  of  the  latter  was  arrested  by  the 
peculiar  transparency  of  the  ice,  under  which  the  current 
could  be  seen  to  be  swiftly  moving.  Laying  aside  his 
classic  "sentences,"  and  leaning  over  to  study  a  present 
phenomenon  more  dosely>  he  was  startled  by  the  sound  of 
a  general  crash  and  the  next  moment  the  horse,  pung,  and 
luckless  driver  as  well,  were  all  floundering  in  a  state  of 
wild  confusion  amid  the  icy  flood !  .  • 

The  phenomenon  was  now  fully  explained  to  the 
observant  traveler,  tho  unfortunately  too  late  to  relieve 
the  present  embarassment.  The  river  had  fallen  some 
fifteen  inches  after  the  ice  had  formed,  and  the  pressure 
of  the  teams  had  caused  the  unexpected  catastrophe.  The 
break  extended  half  way  under  Mr.  Ayer's  train  also;  but 
a  fortunate  turn  in  his  course  at  that  very  juncture 
secured  his  exemption  from  the  icy  bath—end  probably 
from  a  still  more  serious  fate,  as  he  was  unable  to  swim. 

Meanwhile  the  strong  current  had  carried  Barnard's 
pung  around  to  the  front  of  the  animal  to  which  it  was 
still  attached,  and  who  was  now  vainly  truggling  to  swim 
up  stream.  Her  driver  swam  to  the  shore  to  aid  the 
others  in  their  efforts  to  keep  her  from  being  drawn  un- 
der the  ice,  while  the  poor  creature  herself  was  wildly 
struggling  to  get  free. 

By  means  of  an  impromptu  bridge  of  poplar  poles, 
they  at  length  succeeded  in  reaching  her;  and  having 
loosed  her  from  her  unmanageable  craft,  returned  shore- 
ward with  a  long  line  securely  fastened  to  her  neck.  By  this 
means  she  was  finally  towed  to  the  shore  and  landed  on 
the  solid  ice — all  but  one  reluctant  foot!  Mr.  Ayer,  for 
the  reason  already  mention,  dared  not  go  too  near  the 


34  IN  THE  OJIBWAY  COUNTRY 

water's  edge;  and  the  young  Indian  preferred  also  to 
^tand  safely  aloof  and  pull  on  the  rope.  So  running  to 
the  edge  of  the  ice,  Barnard  frantically  grasped  the  ani- 
mal's still  unrescued  foot  while  the  others  continued 
their  persuasive  efforts  at  the  other  end  of  the  line.  All 
were  now  hopeful  of  success;  but  just  before  the  sub- 
merged member  could  be  planted  firmly  on  the  ice,  its 
owner  gave  a  desperate  lunge,  and  the  next  moment  both 
she  j.rd  her  would-be  rescuer  were  once  more  floundering 
amid  the  icy  waves. 

Throwing  his  cap  ashore,  which  he  had  discovered 
floating  past  him,  the  intrepid  swimmer  again  struck  out 
down  the  stream  in  pursuit  of  the  larger  prize  before  it- 
should  be  drawn  into  the  whirling  vortex  below.  But  catch- 
ing a  glimpse  of  his  associate  still  clinging  frantically  to 
the  rope,  and  being  drawn  thereby  rapidly  over  the  smooth 
ice — the  Indian  standing  apart  and  looking  mildly  on — he 
turned  and  swam  to  the  shore.  Then  all  dripping  with 
the  frezing  water,  he  hastened  to  the  relief  of  his  imper- 
illed comrade ;  and  throwing  himself  flat  upon  the  ice,  he 
seim1  the  tail  of  his  trailing  coat  in  a  supreme  effort  to 
stay  their  further  progress  toward  the  fatal  brink.  Prov- 
identially, it  would  seem,  just  as  they  had  almost  reached 
the  danger  point,  and  the  veteran's  feet  were  ready  to 
slip  into  the  foaming  current,  the  mare  suddenly  turned 
about  and  headed  up  stream.  Both  the  men  now  shout- 
ing to  the  dazed,  or  indifferent,  Indian  to  hasten  to  their 
aid,  the  benumbed  and  well-nigh  exhausted  animal  was 
finally  landed  on  terra  firma,  this  time  with  "not  a  hoof 
behind." 

And  all  safe  once  more  on  the  shore,  while  the  men 
proceeded  to  make  the  customary  preparations  for  Sab- 
bath encampment  on  the  morrow,  the  young  "brave" 
was  commissioned  to  lead  the  poor,  shivering  beast  back 


IN  THE  OJIBWA.Y  COUNTRY  35 

and  forth  over  the  frozen  marsh  to  keep  her  from  freez- 
ing. 

And  what  about  the  drenched  hero  ?  At  a  late  hour  of 
that  December  night  he  was  standing  with  steaming 
clothes  before  a  blazing  fire,  writing  in  his  journal,  and 
devoutly  recording  the  goodness  of  the  Lord  in  rescuing 
him  from  a  watery  grave. 


VIII. 
AT  FORT  GARRY  AND  OLD  KILDONAN. 

An  early  start  on  Monday  enabled  the  travelers  to 
reach  without  further  mishap  the  mouth  of  Thief  river — 
where  the  present  town  of  Thief  River  Falls  is  now  lo- 
cated. Thence  striking  the  winter  trail,  their  route  lay 
across  a  prairie  country  interspersed  with  groves  of  pop* 
lar  and  birch  and  willow,  with  fringes  of  larger  timber 
along  the  streams.  Their  next  Sabbath's  encampment 
was  only  two  days'  travel  from  the  Scotch  settlement  of 
Kildonan.  A  French  settlement,  however,  lay  between; 
and  on  arriving  there  they  sought  out  the  man  to  whom 
their  letter  of  introduction  had  been  addressed,  and  were 
cheered  by  his  cordial  welcome  and  the  assurance  of 
hospitable  entertainment  as  long  as  they  might  find  it  con- 
venient to  remain. 

On  the  following  morning,  at  his  friendly  suggestion, 


IN  THE  OJIBWAY  COUNTRY  37 

their  uncouth  conveyances  were  gladly  exchanged  for  his 
own  "cariole,"  or  large  two-wheeled  cart;  which,  altho 
sufficiently  primitive  also,  was  regarded  in  that  isolated 
community  as  entirely  up-to-date.  In  it  they  proceeded, 
in  comparatively  royal  state  to  call  upon  the  governor  of 
the  colony,  the  Hon.  Duncan  Finlayson,  by  whom  and 
his  excellent  lady,  they  were  very  warmly  greeted  and 
urged  to  return  and  dine  with  them  in  the  afternoon. 

Having  made  known  their  errand,  the  governor  ad- 
vised them  to  go  down  to  the  Scotch  settlement  a  few 
miles  below  the  fort,  where  they  would  find  "the  best 
stock  of  cattle  and  entire  honesty  in  deal."  Setting  out 
thither,  accordingly,  the  ice  being  perfectly  solid  over  the 
river,  their  road  lay  over  it  to  the  settlement.  Along 
either  side,  where  not  obscured  by  the  timber,  were  to 
be  seen  the  comfortable  log  dwellings  of  the  settlers. 
These  occurred  at  frequent  intervals;  as  their  farms  be- 
ing cut  into  narrow  strips,  extended  far  back  onto  the 
prairie;  thereby  securing  for  each  family  a  river  front- 
age, and  facilitating  ready  communication  among  the 
neighbors,  especially  in  the  winter. 

Passing  leisurely  along,  they  saw  on  the  left  bank, 
quite  a  large  herd  of  well-conditioned  cattle,  and  Mr. 
Ayer  proposed  that  they  should  turn  in  and  look  them 
over.  So  driving  up  toward  the  "byres,"  or  sheds,  a  man 
came  out  of  the  house  near  by,  clad  in  Scotch  cloth  and 
wearing  a  fur  cap,  who  greeted  the  strangers  with  a 
hearty,  "Good  day,  gentlemen!" 

Upon  informing  him  that  they  were  in  search  of  cattle, 
and  seeing  that  he  had  some  rather  fine-looking  ones,  they 
had  taken  the  liberty  to  drive  in  to  look  at  them,  he 
quickly  responded,  "Oh,  yes;  come  right  along,  gentle- 
men !"  at  the  same  time  leading  the  way  to  the  yard. 

"You  see  those  cattle,  gentlemen,"  he  said;  "  and  you 
might  think  that  one  a  noble  animal,"  pointing  to  one  of 


38  IN  THE  OJIBWAY  COUNTRY 

his  cows ;  "  but  she  has  such  and  such  faults,"  describing 
them  in  detail;  and  so  on  with  his  other  stock — some 
good  and  some  bad.  , 

"Here  is  honesty  for  you,"  remarked  Mr.  Ayer  aside; 
"I  guess  we  had  better  do  our  trading  with  these  Scotch 
farmers." 

They  were  afterwards  invited  into  the  house  and  urged 
to  have  a  cup  of  tea ;  and  the  fact  that  they  had  promised 
to  dine  with  the  governor  at  three  o'clock,  did  not  suffice 
to  release  them  from  the  exacting  constraint  of  a  present 
hospitality ;  and  this  same  generous  hospitality,  however 
humble  its  manifestations  at  times,  they  afterward  found 
to  be  unfailingly  repeated  wherever  they  chanced  to  go. 

Returning  in  the  afternoon  to  the  fort,  the  humbly  at- 
tired strangers  were  politely  ushered  into  the  large  dining 
hall  and  introduced  by  the  governor  to  the  clerks  of  the 
Hudson's  Bay  company;  after  which  they  were  seated 
with  honor  at  the  long  table,  loaded  with  meats  and  vege- 
tables, etc,, — "and  fairly  glittering  with  wine  glasses  from 
end  to  end." 

The  guests  of  the  occasion,  being  "teetotlers"  from 
principle,  recoiled  painfully  from  the  thought  of  giving 
possible  offence  to  their  generous  hosts ;  yet  they  were 
true  men,  and  servants  of  Him  whose  will  they  habitu- 
ally recognized  as  supreme  in  their  hearts  and  lives. 
When,  therefore,  suddenly  confronted  by  this  perplexing 
dilemma,  their  guiding  principle  of  firm  adherence  to 
what  they  sincerely  believed  to  be  the  will  of  their  divine 
Master,  still  held  with  them  its  authoritative  sway. 

"I  cannnot,"  afterward  observes  Mr.  Barnard,  in  writ- 
ing of  this  incident,  "adequately  describe  the  astonish- 
ment of  the  governor  and  his  company  when  we  politely 
declined  the  wine,  and  requested  water  instead." 

"'Why,  what  does  this  mean,  gentlemen?'  he  ex- 


IN   THE  OJIBWAY  COUNTRY  39 

claimed ;  'we  never  have  heard  of  such  a  thing  before.'  at 
the  same  time  ordering  water  to  be  set  before  us." 

After  dinner  the  guests  were  invited  into  the  parlor, 
where  they  enjoyed  a  pleasant  chat  with  the  governor  and 
his  very  estimable  lady,  who  made  particular  inquiries 
about  their  work  among  the  Indians  at  Red  lake,  and 
urged  them  to  return  later. 

Calling  the  following  day  on  a  Mr.  McDermot,  one  of 
the  principal  merchants  of  the  company,  he  and  his  son- 
in-law  took  them  at  once  to  his  magnificent  sideboard 
and  brought  out  his  bottles  for  a  friendly  "treat."  But 
on  being  thanked  for  the  proffered  hospitality  and  in- 
formed that  they  never  indulged,  their  amazement  seemed 
even  greater,  if  possible,  than  that  of  the  governor  and 
his  friends  on  the  previous  day.  However,  after  some 
explanation,  they  were  led  to  respect  their  principles,  and 
did  not  repeat  the  expression  of  their  hospitality  in  that 
form. 

Having  returned  a  day  or  so  later  to  conclude  their 
purchase  of  the  cattle  from  the  Scotch  farmer,  he  appear- 
ed greatly  excited,  and  said,  "Gentlemen,  after  you  went 
away  yesterday,  it  occurred  to  me  that  possibly  you  might 
be  Presbyterians!" 

Upon  informing  him  that  they  were  Presbyterian  mis- 
sionaries from  Red  lake,  the  man  and  his  neighbors  ap- 
peared exceedingly  rejoiced  that  at  last  a  minister  of  their 
own  faith  had  been  permitted  to  visit  them.  For  altho 
supplied  hitherto  by  clergymen  of  the  Church  of  England, 
their  repeated  petitions  for  a  minister  of  their  own  be- 
loved "kirk"  had  thus  far  been  in  vain. 

At  their  request,  therefore,  the  missionaries  conducted 
religious  meetings  among  them  every  night  during  their 
stay  in  the  house  whence  the  devoted  wife  of  Mr.  Barn- 
ard was  afterward  called  to  her  heavenly  reward.  And 
no  doubt  the  hearts  of  those  patient,  God-fearing  people 


40  IN  THE  OJIBWAY  COUNTRY 

were  greatly  cheered  by  the  earnest  gospel  messages  of 
the  Lord's  faithful  ambassadors. 

Thus  it  appears  that  these  humble  missionary  sojourn- 
ers  from  Red  lake  were  really  the  first  Presbyterian  min- 
isters to  visit  that  old  settlement  and  conduct  religious 
services  among  the  people  there.  For  altho  they  were 
afterwards  favored  with  occasional  visits  and  services  by 
them,  it  was  not  until  in  the  autumn  of  1851 — nearly 
eight  years  later — that  the  godly  and  lamented  Rev.  John 
Black  entered  upon  his  eminently  useful  career  among 
that  interesting  and  warm-hearted  people. 

The  services  at  St,  John's  which  the  visitors  attended 
on  the  following  Sabbath,  were  conducted  by  the  Ven- 
erable Archdeacon  Cochren ;  by  whom  they  were  greeted 
most  cordially  and  afterward  invited  to  dine  at  the  Acad- 
emy close  by,  in  charge  of  Principal  McCallum.  Here, 
as  on  the  other  occasions,  both  master  and  pupils  were 
astonished  beyond  measure  by  the  radical  temperance 
principles  of  their  "yankee"  guests.  Nevertheless  it  was 
afterwards  discovered  that  the  sincere  and  consistent  ad- 
herence of  the  missionaries  to  their  honest  convictions,  not 
only  won  the  lasting  respect  of  their  entertainers,  but  also 
resulted  in  a  remarkable  reformation  in  the  social  cus- 
toms of  those  same  people  in  after  years. 

After  a  pleasant  and  useful  Christmas  spent  among  their 
new-found  friends,  the  grateful  sojourners  prepared  to 
set  out  on  their  homeward  journey.  Mr.  Ayer  had  dis- 
posed of  his  horses  and  purchased  some  cattle — mostly 
from  the  Scotch  settlers ;  while  his  companion,  dominated 
likewise  by  pressing  economic  considerations,  succeeded 
in  exchanging  his  rifle  for  a  cow.  And  his  Ohio  cloth  he 
traded  also  for  some  goods  of  their  own  weaving,  and 
more  suitable  for  rough  wear  in  the  northern  woods. 

The  genial  Frenchman  to  whom  they  had  at  first  been 
introduced,  called  his  neighbors  together  and  made  har- 


IN  THE  OJIBWAY  COUNIKY  41 

ness  and  "trains"  for  their  cattle.  The  governor  gave 
them  two  bags  of  fine  flour,  a  large  bag  of  "pemican," 
and  a  bale  of  dried  buffalo  meat ;  while  the  kind-hearted 
settlers  also  brot  butter  and  food  for  the  missionaries 
and  barley  for  their  cattle  on  the  way.  Indeed,  they  only 
wished  that  their  newly-found  friends  and  their  families 
were  stationed  near  by  in  order  that  they  might  be  able 
"to  supply  them  regularly  with  food." 


IX. 

"PERILS  IN  THE  WILDERNESS." 

Thus  equipped  with  their  six  ox-trains  and  half  a 
dozen  other  cattle,  the  grateful  visitors  bade  adieu  to 
their  kind  friends  and  turned  their  faces  wistfully  in  the 
direction  of  their  own  little  bark  hut  beside  the  forest 
lake.  Their  first  night  was  spent  at  the  last  of  the  French 
cabins  on  the  banks  of  the  Red  river;  from  which  point 
their  track  lay  more  eastward  across  the  prairie. 

The  second  morning  thereafter,  Mr.  Ayer  discovered 
on  arranging  their  "trains,"  that  he  had  left  a  valuable 
cross-cut  saw  at  their  last  previous  stopping  place.  He 
therefore  immediately  sent  the  guide  back  after  it;  and 
proceeded  the  following  morning  without  him  along  the 
well-worn  summer  trail.  This  was  quite  traceable  by 
daylight ;  but  when  early  night  fell  dark  and  cloudy  on  a 


44  IN  THE  OJIBWAY  COUNTRY 

long  stretch  of  burnt  prairie  covered  by  several  inches  of 
snow,  it  seemed  impossible  to  follow  it. 

For  awhile  Mr.  Ayer  was  able  to  keep  on  the  trail  by 
following  his  large  terrier  dog,  "Watch ;"  but  it  was  no- 
ticed after  a  time,  that  he  was  not  altogether  reliable,  as 
he  frequently  turned  aside.  Having  with  them  an  old- 
fashioned  perforated  tin  lantern  and  a  piece  of  tallow 
candle,  it  was  lighted,  after  which  they  took  their  course. 
Then  placing  their  twelve  head  of  cattle  in  a  line,  and 
noting  the  direction  of  the  wind,  Mr.  Ayer  went  ahead 
of  his  little  caravan,  while  his  companion  brought  up  the 
rear. 

With  the  cattle  thus  following  their  guide  in  a  straight 
line,  it  was  possible  for  the  other  to  detect  by  means  of 
their  shadowy  outline  on  the  snow,  the  least  deviation 
from  a  direct  course ;  and  by  calling  out  "right"  or  "left," 
to  maintain  the  direction  desired.  At  length  they  ap- 
proached a  bank  where  some  trees  were  discovered  in  a 
ravine,  and  after  working  their  way  through  the  snow, 
and  finding  it  possible  to  make  their  camp  there,  the  cattle 
were  turned  loose  to  graze  on  the  dead  grass  to  be  found 
in  some  bare  spots  on  the  neighboring  prairie. 

Their  ordinary  camp  duties  at  such  times  are  thus  de- 
scribed by  the  younger  of  the  two  as  follows :  "Mr.  Ayer 
being  an  old  'voyageur/  and  I  a  mere  novice,  as  soon  as 
the  snow  was  shovelled  away,  the  oxen  loosed,  and  a  fire 
kindled  he  took  sole  charge  of  the  culinary  department ; 
while  I  shouldered  my  ax  and  proceeded  to  cut  and  carry 
in  the  fuel  necessary  for  the  night.  Next  came  the  gath- 
ering of  the  animals,  tieing  them  to  the  trees  amid  the 
shelter  of  the  bush,  and  clearing  away  the  snow  for  their 
beds  and  feed  of  barley ;  after  which  we  partook  of  our 
supper  in  the  open  air,  retiring .  usually  quite  late  at 
night. 

Rising  early  the  following  morning,  and  going  out  to 


IN  THB  OJIBWAY  COUNTRY  45 

where  they  had  left  their  "trains"  the  night  before,  they 
discovered  to  their  surprise,  and  joy,  that  they  were  only 
a  few  rods  from  the  regular  trail;  and  that  their  camp 
was  scarcely  forty  rods  from  the  spot  where  they  had 
spent  the  Sabbath  on  their  way  down. 

About  noon  the  next  day  they  met  a  party  of  Indians 
from  Red  lake,  among  whom  was  the  father  of  their 
absent  guide;  shortly  after  which  the  latter  returned, 
bringing  the  saw,  but  with  much  embarassment  inform- 
ing the  missionaries  that  he  would  have  to  leave  them  and 
accompany  his  father  on  the  chase.  Inasmuch  as  no  per- 
suasion nor  offer  of  additional  reward  could  move  him 
from  his  purpose,  they  were  obliged  to  continue  the 
remainder  of  their  journey  without  their  much-needed  \. 
assistant. 

Abandoned  now  by  their  guide,  and  in  a  wild  and 
wintry  wilderness,  fully  two  hundred  miles  from  their 
longed-for  destination,  they  committed  themselves  to  the 
care  of  their  heavenly  Guardian,  and  resolutely  proceed- 
ed to  retrace  their  homeward  journey  alone. 

The  following  day,  being  Saturday,  was  warm  and 
thawey ;  and  they  hoped  to  reach  the  mouth  of  the  Thief 
river,  where  they  had  spent  the  night  on  the  way  out, 
and  which  was  on  the  edge  of  the  forest.  But  their 
journey  being  intercepted  by  the  approach  of  night,  they 
decided  to  make  their  Sabbath  encampment  in  the  shelter 
of  a  poplar  grove. 

Supper  over  and  the  tired  animals  secured  and  pro- 
vided with  their  feed  of  barley,  the  weary  pilgrims  spread 
their  blankets  on  the  ground  before  the  fire  and  were  soon 
wrappd  in  that  profound  slumber  so  restful  to  the  weary 
and  care-worn. 

Awaking  the  following  morning — being  the  Sabbath, 
and  also  the  closing  day  of  a  year  so  full  of  strange  and 
trying  experiences  for  them — they  were  surprised  to  find 


46  IN  THE  OJIBWAY  COUNTRY 

themselves  and  everything  about  them  covered  over 
with  several  inches  of  freshly-fallen  snow.  It  had  fallen 
quietly  during  the  night;  and  the  wind  having  shifted 
into  the  north,  a  thin  coating  of  ice  had  formed  on  the 
surface. 

It  was  here  that  a  peculiar  combination  of  trials  await- 
ed them.  First  they  found  that  their  fire  had  gone  entire- 
ly out,  and  that  everything  was  damp  and  under  the 
snow.  But  having  cleared  away  the  same,  and  gather- 
ing carefully  the  remaining  coals  and  pieces  of  fuel,  the 
matches,  which  Mr.  Ayer  always  carried  in  a  tin  box  in 
his  vest  pocket,  were  called  for.  Feeling  for  them  in  his 
pocket,  he  suddenly  sprang  to  his  feet,  exclaiming  excit- 
edly, "Why,  they're  lost !  I'm  sure  I  put  the  box  in  my 
pocket  after  kindling  the  fire  last  night." 

Sure  enough,  the  matches  could  not  be  found ;  and  the 
dismayed  travelers  now  fully  realized  that  they  were  still 
ten  days  of  steady  travel  from  home — in  the  lonely  depth 
of  the  winter,  and  without  the  means  of  kindling  a  fire. 
Everything,  as  already  stated,  being  under  the  snow, 
they  knew  not  where  to  begin  their  search ;  but  went  dis- 
tractedly about  in  every  direction  traversed  by  them  the 
previous  evening,  and  anxiously  scraped  the  snow  away 
with  their  feet  in  the  forlorn  hope  of  at  last  turning  up 
the  hidden  treasure.  In  this  manner  the  greater  portion 
of  the  forenoon  was  spent  on  a  task  so  desperate,  and 
yet  so  vain. 

At  last  it  occurred  to  Barnard  to  find  out  which  of  the 
animals  his  companion  had  fed  with  the  barley.  And 
having  gone  carefully  over  all  but  one,  without  success, 
they  were  quite  ready  to  despair  of  ever  finding  the  lost 
key  to  comfort,  and  possibly  to  life  itself.  Then,  calling 
on  the  Lord  in  their  distress,  and  frantically  scraping 
away  the  snow  from  under  the  other  animal's  feet,  their 
very  last  effort  was  crowned  with  a  glorious  reward.  The 


IN  THE  OJIBWAY  COUNTRY  47 

matches  were  found,  and  a  great  deliverance  was  theirs. 
"Truly,"  adds  Mr.  Barnard,  devoutly  in  recording  this 
incident,  "Man's  extremity  is  God's  opportunity ;  and  He 
has  never  failed  us  when  casting  all  our  care  upon  Him." 

The  matches  having  been  found,  Mr.  Ayer  sang  out 
merrily,  "Now  we  shall  have  some  of  that  nice  steak 
those  good  Scotch  people  gave  us."  So,  when  they  kin- 
dled a  fire,  they  went  after  the  meat  which  had  consisted 
of  two  large  pieces.  But  imagine  their  astonishment  and 
disappointment  on  discovering  that  neither  of  them  could 
be  found.  Whoever,  or  whatever  could  have  removed 
them,  they  were  not  able  to  conjecture.  They  could  only 
conclude  that  they  must  have  been  taken  before  the  snow 
had  fallen,  as  there  were  no  traces  of  any  disturbing 
cause  anywhere  visible. 

At  length  Mr.  Barnard,  observing  "old  Watch"  warm- 
ing his  nose  contentedly  by  the  fire  and  suspiciously 
"watching"  their  movements,  suddenly  exclaimed  with 
the  emphasis  of  a  new  and  over-powering  conviction, 
"Mr.  Ayer,  I  believe  your  dog  has  taken  that  meat." 

"Oh  no ;"  replied  Mr.  Ayer ;  "  he  never  was  known  to 
do  such  a  thing;  Watch  is  an  honest  dog."  Whereupon 
the  old  fellow  gave  his  master  a  grateful  look,  and  closed 
his  eyes  as  if  for  a  comfortable  nap. 

Having  finished  their  breakfast — now  long  after  noon, 
and  minus  the  steak — the  cattle  were  turned  loose  on  the 
prairie,  and  the  men  lay  down  to  take  some  rest.  In  a 
?hort  time  Mr.  Ayer  was  fast  asleep ;  but  young  Barnard, 
--till  questioning  the  honesty  of  the  dog,  determined  to 
test  him.  So  closing  his  eyes  as  if  asleep,  and  occasion- 
ally opening  one  of  them  slightly  to  observe  unnoticed  the 
animal's  movements,  he  saw  him  lying  quietly,  and  appar- 
ently like  his  master,  fast  asleep.  Not  yet  satisfied,  how- 
ever, he  began  to  emulate  the  snoring  accomplishments 


48  IN  THE  OJIBWAY  COUNTRY 

of  his  older  companion,  at  which  the  dog  evidently  took 
he^rt. 

Slightly  opening  one  eye,  Barnard  soon  after  saw  him 
wake  up  and  gaze  long  and  earnestly  at  the  slumbering 
heroes ;  after  which  he  rose  and  looked  wistfully  around. 
Then  having  apparently  satisfied  himself  that  the  coast 
was  entirely  clear,  he  stole  softly  out  of  the  camp  and 
made  direct  for  a  clump  of  bushes  not  far  away.  Barn- 
ard then  also  woke  up;  and  arming  himself  with  a  stout 
stick,  noiselessly  followed  the  trail  of  his  victim  over  the 
fresh  snow;  and  before  the  poor  creature  had  time  to 
begin  his  coveted  feast,  he  was  "shocked  almost  beyond 
expression"  by  a  terrific  blow  from  the  stick,  wielded  un- 
pitymgly  in  the  hand  of  his  irate  pursuer. 

A  dismal  howl  quickly  aroused  his  sleeping  master 
from  his  restful  dreams — puncturing  them  with  the  spec- 
tre of  an  invading  foe.  Later  in  the  day  the  other  .piece 
of  steak  was  likewise  found — both  of  which  were  still 
intact. 

Poor  old  Watch  was  a  good  dog ;  having  accompanied 
his  master  on  many  a  long  and  dangerous  journey — fol- 
lowing his  steps  by  day,  and  stretching  himself  at  full 
1  •  £th  at  his  back  at  night,  and  was  ever  obedient  to  his 
call.  But  the  present  temptation  was  simply  too  much 
for  his  canine  nature  to  withstand.  The  transformation, 
or  rather  malformation,  that  awaited  him  the  ensuing 
summer,  was  one  that  illy  befitted  the  termination  of  a 
really  useful  career;  for,  alas,  he  was  stealthily  killed 
and  made  into  a  kettle  of  soup  for  a  lot  of  revelling  In- 
dian:-. 


X. 

"PERILS  OF  WATERS." 

Setting  out  with  the  early  dawn  of  the  new  year 
\  1844),  they  arrived  at  the  mouth  of  the  Thief  river 
about  noon  of  the  same  day.  This  old  camping  place — 
new  the  site  of  a  Presbyterian  church — on  the  main  trail 
from  Red  lake  to  the  west  and  north,  was  located  on  the 
north  side  of  the  Red  lake  river,  a  short  distance  below 
the  junction  of  the  river  bearing  an  unenviable  name. 
Here  near  the  river  bank  was  a  fine  spring  of  water  and 
aho  the  location  of  an  old  trading  post,  revived  in  later 
years.  It  is  in  the  center  of  the  present  thriving  town 
of  Thief  River  Falls;  and  the  protestant  church — now 
occupying  the  site  of  the  old  camping  ground — is  a  fitting, 
if  unintentional,  memorial  of  those  Christian  pioneers 
who,  as  did  so  many  others,  often  halted  there  for  rest 
and  refreshment. 


50  IN  THE  OJ1BWAY  COUNTRY 

Not  pausing  here  now,  however,  for  a  New  Year's  day 
repast,  the  anxious  missionaries  made  haste  to  enter  the 
sheltering  forest  first  met  with  here.  Crossing  the  Thief 
river,  they  took  the  trail  which,  being  seldom  used  by  the 
Indians  during  the  summers,  was  now  extremely  difficult 
to  follow  thro  the  bushes  and  depths  of  snow.  Before 
nightfall,  also,  they  were  drenched  with  rain ;  which  a 
sudden  shifting  of  the  wind  into  the  northwest,  followed 
by  a  corresponding  change  of  temperature,  transformed 
their  clothing  into  coats  of  icy  mail  before  they  were  able 
to  make  their  camp. 

The  next  morning  they  struck  off  to  the  right  in  order 
to  reach  the  Red  lake  river,  as  the  only  means  of  pre- 
venting their  becoming  lost  in  the  dense,  unfamiliar  for- 
est that  now  enveloped  them — hoping  to  follow  the  river 
on  the  ice  to  the  vicinity  of  the  lake.  But  when  they 
approached  it,  the  snow  was  lying  so  deep  on  its  surface 
as  to  cause  the  ice  to  crack  in  the  middle,  and  render  it 
wholly  unsafe  for  the  cattle  to  pass  over  it  with  their 
"trains.*'  They  were  therefore  obliged  to  travel  along 
its  edge,  and  across  the  points  and  over  open  marshes — 
always  keeping  the  river  in  view,  and  making  some  days 
only  five  or  ten  miles  of  actual  progress. 

On  Saturday  morning,  when  but  a  short  distance  from 
where  they  had  camped  the  previous  night,  Mr.  Ayer, 
who  was  in  advance,  suddenly  sang  out,  in  the  O  jib  way 
dialect,  "Kee-shaw-wain-dah-goo-ze-nin !"  meaning,  "We 
are  happy,  or  fortunate!"  He  had  struck  a  snow-shoe 
track  of  the  Indians  going  in  from  their  hunt  and  leading 
up  the  river  on  the  ice.  This  he  imagined  he  could  fol- 
low with  his  cattle;  but  the  rejoicing  on  the  part  of  the 
really  w;/-fortunate  missionaries  was  of  brief  duration ; 
for  they  had  not  proceeded  far  before  the  ice  began  to 
crack  immediately  under  their  feet  and  those  of  the  cattle, 
strung  out  in  a  long  line  in  the  middle  of  the  stream. 


IN  THE  OJIBWAY  COUNTRY  51 

What  to  do,  the  distracted  travelers  did  not  know. 
However,  halting  the  unsuspecting  animals,  Mr.  Ayer  ran 
ahead  to  sound  the  ice;  while  his  comrade  stood  trem- 
bling and  praying  behind  them — expecting  every  moment 
to  see  the  ice  give  way  beneath  them. 

When  Mr.  Ayer  struck  his  ax  into  the  ice,  only  a  few 
feet  ahead  of  the  foremost  ox,  the  blade  went  thro  to  the 
water — and  with  the  unstable  crust  still  cracking  under 
their  feet,  the  necessity  for  action,  as  well  as  prayer,  was 
upon  them.  So  having  succeeded  in  getting  the  animals 
off — unwittingly,  in  their  haste,  on  the  north  side  of  the 
river — they  proceeded  but  a  very  few  rods  before  they 
found  it  to  be  entirely  open  in  the  center  of  the  channel 
the  swift,  dark  current  having  cut  away  the  ice..  This 
convinced  them  could  not  be  very  far  from  the  lake ;  but 
to  their  utter  discomfiture  they  now  realized  that  they 
were  on  the  ivrong  side  of  the  stream. 

Then  after  a  long  and  wearisome  search,  the  trail  was 
at  last  found  on  the  opposite  side;  but  how  to  get  their 
cattle  across  was  another  and  more  trying  problem.  Upon 
going  back  some  distance,  however,  a  spot  was  for- 
tunately discovered  where  they  might  attempt  to  cross 
them  over  one  at  a  time.  But  here  they  were  confronted 
by  another  serious  dilemma :  the  first  one  broke  thro  the 
ice  in  an  overflowed  swamp,  and  had  to  be  pulled  out 
with  ropes.  At  last,  however,  after  much  patient  and 
painful  effort,  accompanied  by  no  little  danger,  they  suc- 
ceeded in  getting  all  over,  with  "not  a  hoof  left  behind ;" 
and  this  time  also  on  the  right  side  of  the  stream.. 

At  a  late  hour  of  that  eventful  day,  and  also  of  the 
week,  they  wearily  made  their  camp  and  cooked  their 
frugal  meal.  Then  with  "feet  all  blistered  and  bare  to 
the  snow"  by  reason  of  his  broken  and  worn-out  mocas- 
ins,  young  Barnard  shouldered  his  ax,  and  far  into  the 


52  IN  THE  OJIBWAY  COUNTRY 

night  broke  the  silence  of  the  forest  depths  by  cutting  and 
dragging  into  camp  the  fuel  needed  for  the  Sabbath's 
supply. 

They  were  cheered  that  night  by  the  arrival  of  a  couple 
of  the  fur-trader's  men  with  their  packs  of  furs  pur- 
chased from  the  Indians.  They  concluded  to  camp  for 
the  night  with  the  missionaries;  and  proceeded  the  next 
morning  to  their  post  at  the  lake,  carrying  to  the  anxious 
Mission  family  there  the  first  message  from  the  absent 
ones  since  their  departure. 

The  "peep  of  day"  on  Monday  morning  greeted  them 
already  several  miles  on  their  way,  eager  after  the  Sab- 
bath's rest  to  bring  the  long  and  toilsome  journey  to  a 
close.  And  when  the  clock  struck  eleven  that  night,  they 
drew  up  in  front  of  the  little  snow-covered  hut  on  the 
shore  of  the  lonely  lake.  It  was  an  obscure  spot  indeed ; 
but  infinitely  dear  to  the  returning  pilgrims  as  the  one 
place  in  all  this  weary  world,  where,  sitting  down  with 
loved  ones  before  the  blazing  fire,  they  could  breathe 
once  more  the  hallowed  atmosphere  of  home. 

Here  at  last  they  arrived  with  their  belated  Christmas 
cheer.  And  forgetful  of  the  passing  hours  of  night,  they 
sat  rehearsing  to  attentive  ears — not  so  much  now  the 
many  tri&ls  and  dangers  encountered  on  the  way,  as  the 
cheering  information  of  kind  friends  discovered,  and  the 
generous  supplies  obtained  from  the  noble  Scotch  set- 
tlers on  the  banks  of  the  Red  river  of  the  farther  north. 

This  memorable  journey  was  completed  early  in  Jan- 
uary, 1844;  and  during  the  remainder  of  their  first  win- 
ter in  the  forest,  the  missionaries  were  not  by  any  means 
idle.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Ayer,  having  already  a  good  working 
knowledge  of  the  native  tongue,  gave  much  of  their  time 
to  the  spiritual  interests  of  the  few  Indians  who  still 
remained  at  the  lake ;  and  to  the  instruction  of  the  young- 
er members  of  the  Mission  family  in  the  rudiments  and 


IN  THE  OJIBWAY  COUNTRY  58 

use  of  the  new  language  they  were  all  so  eager  to  be  able 
to  employ. 

The  others,  chiefly  occupied  at  first  with  duties  of  a 
secular  nature,  found  these  neither  light  nor  few.  For 
besides  the  daily  care  of  their  cattle — the  hay  requiring  to 
be  drawn  from  the  marsh  a  dozen  miles  away,  there  were 
trees  to  be  felled  and  converted  into  lumber  for  more  com- 
modious dwellings ;  shingles  for  the  roofs  to  be  split  from 
blocks  of  wood,  and  boards  to  be  laboriously  sawed  by 
hand  from  the  green  logs,  for  the  floors  and  necessary 
furniture.  Even  the  sash  for  the  windows  had  to  be 
made  by  hand ;  while  something  of  the  mason's  art  was 
required  to  construct  the  stone  and  mortar  chimneys,  and 
for  plastering  the  rude  walls  with  clay  to  protect  the  in- 
mates from  the  searching  frost  and  winter  storms. 

Moreover,  with  the  approach  of  spring,  they  found  it 
necessary  both  to  instruct  and  assist  those  of  the  natives 
who  might  be  found  willing  to  erect  houses  for  them- 
selves in  the  vicinity  of  the  Mission;  and  also  aid  them 
later  in  preparing  the  ground  and  planting  their  gardens. 
And  finally,  in  the  manufacture  and  repairing  of  sleds, 
carts,  harness,  utensils,  furniture,  etc.,  a  truly  varied  and 
ever-patient  ingenuity  as  well  as  industry  were  in  con- 
stant demand. 


XI. 
WORKING  AND  WINNING. 

Altho  our  attention  has  thus  far  been  centered  almost 
wholly  upon  the  Mission  and  workers  at  Red  lake,  we 
should  not  quite  overlook  or  ignore  the  little  band  also 
"holding  the  fort"  at  Leech  lake,  and  under  less  friendly 
conditions  that  at  the  larger  and  better  garrisoned  sta- 
tion. To  the  Leech  lake  station,  supplied  the  previous 
autumn  by  Messrs.  Lewis,  and  Johnston  and  their  wives, 
Mr.  Spencer  was  also  transferred — remaining  there  until 
the  abandonment  of  the  field  the  following  year. 

At  each  of  these  stations  the  greatest  activity  prevailed 
during  the  brief  summer  months  in  the  clearing,  fencing 
and  cultivation  of  the  ground,  and  also  in  the  erection  of 
better  dwellings  for  the  natives  and  themselves.  The 
responsibility  of  attending  to  the  instruction  and  spiritual 
welfare  of  the  Indians  continued  to  fall  very  largely  on 


IN  THE  OJIBWAY  COUNTRY  55 

the  senior  members ;  while  the  others  labored  in  the  field 
and  wood — an  example  to  their  indolent  neighbors,  and 
cheered  ever  by  the  hope  of  becoming  ere  long  preachers 
and  teachers  by  word  as  well  as  by  example. 

The  Indian  men,  as  is  well  known,  care  but  little  for 
manual  labor;  and  when  the  missionaries  proposed  to 
plow  the  patches  of  ground  which  they — or  rather,  their 
women — had  been  in  the  habit  of  cultivating  entirely 
with  their  rude  hoes;  and  also  offered  to  plow  as  much 
more  new  land  as  they  themselves  might  be  willing  to 
clear  off,  the  old  chief  shook  his  head  and  quietly  re- 
sponded, "This  is  all  very  kind  of  you ;  but  as  there  are 
only  four  men  in  our  band  who  ever  performed  any  la- 
bor of  this  kind,  you  will  have  very  little  ground  to  plow 
— unless  you  will  also  first  clear  it  off  yourselves." 

Upon  assuring  him  that  they  would  agree  to  haul  off 
the  logs  with  their  oxen  if  his  men  would  chop  down  the 
trees,  the  old  chief  bravely  led  the  way  into  the  forest, 
and  was  followed  soon  by  a  number  of  his  "braves;'' 
whose  tomahawks  were  thrown  aside  for  axes  which 
were  freely  furnished  them;  and  they  soon  had  consid- 
erable ground  ready  for  cultivation. 

In  order  to  assist  and  encourage  them  in  their  field 
work,  young  Mr.  Wright  went  one  spring  day  to  the 
vicinity  of  the  Indian  village  of  Gasininsika — some  four 
miles  distant  from  the  Mission — and  spent  several  days 
with  them  in  plowing  their  land  with  the  oxen.  He  stayed 
with  a  family  of  fourteen,  of  whom  the  old  grand-mother 
was  the  recognized  head.  Then  there  were  daughters 
and  sons-in-law  and  grand-children,  all  under  the  same 
roof.  They  had  very  little  food  of  their  own  at  this  sea- 
son ;  and  the  young  misionary  was  supplied  with  a  small 
loaf  of  corn  bread  from  the  Mission  every  day.  "But,"  he 
relates  in  his  journal,  "I  found  it  very  embarassing  to  sit 
down  to  eat  a  piece  of  my  corn  bread  in  their  presence 


56  IN  THB  OJIBWAY  COUNTRY 

when  I  knew  how  hungry  they  all  likewise  were.  So  be- 
fore I  could  begin  my  own  repast  with  comfort,  I  was  ac- 
customed to  go  around  and  give  each  one  present  a  small 
piece  first — thus  leaving,  indeed,  a  very  small  portion  for 
myself.  .  .  .  Sometimes  they  had  fish  or  duck,  or 
it  might  be,  a  few  muskrats;  but  whatever  the  fare,  they 
always  invited  me  to  share  it  with  them.  And  thus  it 
was,  when  I  had  food  they  boarded  with  me;  and  when 
they  were  provided  for,  I  boarded  with  them.  The  good 
old  grand-mother,  especially,  ever  after  regarded  me  as 
her  friend." 

The  following  year  this  same  family  came  and  settled 
near  the  Mission,  cleared  off  some  ground,  and  raised  a 
supply  of  food.  And  within  three  years  from  the  time 
of  Mr.  Wright's  visit  with  them,  nearly  all  the  adults 
and  some  of  the  children  were  received  into  the  commun- 
ion of  the  church.  All  of  them  continued  to  live  devoted 
Christian  lives;  and  died  happy,  triumphant  deaths. 
"Perhaps,"  as  Mr.  Wright  very  plausibly  observes,  "the 
little  kindness  shown  them  in  giving  them  a  small  piece 
of  my  corn  bread  when  they  were  hungry,  may  have  had 
something  to  do  with  their  reception  of  the  gospel,  and 
the  bread  of  everlasting  life,  afterwards." 

One  of  the  grand-daughters,  Hannah — afterwards 
adopted  into  Mr.  Barnard's  family — developed  into  a 
most  remarkable  Christian  character.  She  accompanied 
them  to  Ohio  a  few  years  after  her  conversion ;  spent  a 
year  there,  then  sickened  and  died — greatly  lamented  by 
all  who  knew  her.  Her  Indian  name,  Goh-bah-bah-mah- 
tch-gate,  or  "She  who  goes  about  serving  others,"  was 
beautifully  significant  as  applied  to  a  follower  of  Him 
who  came  into  our  world,  "not  to  be  ministered  unto  but 
to  minister ;"  and  "who  went  about  doing  good." 

Mr.  Wright  observes  in  this  connection,  that  all  names 
among  the  Indians  are  significant.  They  do  not  address 


IN  THB  OJIBWAY  COUNTRY  57 

persons  by  their  names  in  conversation.  Even  parents  sel- 
dom address  their  own  children  by  their  individual 
names,  except  when  absolutely  necessary.  But  always  in 
speaking  to  a  child,  or  in  speaking  of  him,  they  say,  "my 
son,"  or  "my  daughter."  Likewise  one  man  says  to  an- 
other, when  addressing  him,  Ne-che,  "friend,"  or  Ne-cho- 
ke-wain-ze,  "My  respected  friend;"  and  they  never  use 
"nicknames."  ^ 

One  of  the  moral  difficulties  frequently  encountered  in 
the  effort  to  gain  an  influence  over  the  Indians,  was  the 
false  idea  entertained  by  them  with  regard  to  the  true 
idea  of  benevolence.  It  required  much  time  and  patient 
teaching  to  correct  this.  It  was  common  at  first  for  them 
to  charge  the  missionaries  with  selfishness,  because  they 
would  not  freely  share  everything  they  had  with  them. 
As  soon  as  one  of  them  fully  adopted  the  habits  of  the 
missionaries  with  respect  to  giving,  the  others  would  at 
once  say  of  them,  "They  are  just  like  all  the  white  people 
— very  selfish." 

But  some  months  after  the  missionaries  arrived  among 
them,  an  incident  occurred  which  made  a  deep  impression 
upon  their  minds  as  to  the  real  kindness  and  unselfish- 
ness, after  all,  of  those  who  had  come  to  them,  profess- 
edly to  do  them  good : 

Messrs.  Barnard  and  Wright  were  returning  from 
their  work  in  the  woods  one  very  windy  day  early  in  the 
month  of  June,  when  they  heard  screams  of  distress  from 
far  out  on  the  lake.  Two  young  women  had  gone  out 
in  a  canoe  to  set  their  nets.  The  wind,  which  was  blow- 
ing a  perfect  gale,  had  upset  their  canoe,  endangering  the 
lives  of  the  late  occupants.  They  however  continued  to 
cling  to  the  capsized  vessels,  and  succeeded  thereby  in 
keeping  their  heads  out  of  the  water. 

They  were  fully  a  half  miles  from  the  shore,  and  the 
waves  were  rolling  very  high;  but  without  stopping  to 


58  IN  THE  OJ1BWAY  COUNTEY 

consider  the  danger  to  themselves,  the  men  hastily  seized 
a  little  bark  canoe  close  at  hand,  and  were  soon  bounding 
over  the  waves  to  the  rescue  of  the  drowning  women. 

Very  soon  after  leaving  the  shore,  the  peril  of  the  un- 
dertaking began  to  dawn  upon  them.  The  canoe  was 
scarcely  more  than  ten  feet  in  length,  and  was  tossed  on 
the  waves  like  an  egg-shell.  Soon  the  screams  of  the 
women  were  being  heard  throughout  the  neighborhood ; 
and  the  other  missionaries,  as  well  as  a  large  number  of 
the  Indians,  including  women  and  children,  came  running 
down  to  the  shore  to  watch  with  breathless  interest  the 
young  white  men  in  their  heroic  efforts  to  save  the  un- 
fortunate ones.  All  realized  how  great  was  the  peril  in- 
volved ;  and  there  were  few  indeed  who  supposed  it  would 
be  possible  for  them  to  take  the  drowning  women  into 
the  little  boat  without  endangering  their  own  lives. 

When  the  poor  creatures  were  reached,  they  were 
found  to  be  on  the  verge  of  exhaustion  and  ready  to  sink, 
fainting,  amid  the  waves.  But  seeing  their  would-be  res- 
cuers nigh,  they  both  began  to  cry  out  piteously,  "Be-nah- 
chis-be-nam,  be-mah-she-che-kong !"  (Save  us;  oh,  please 
do  save  us!) 

The  water  was  very  cold — the  ice  having  only  quite  re- 
cently melted  in  the  lake;  and  as  the  women  were  large 
and  stout,  and  clad  in  heavy  woolen  blankets,  now  thor- 
oly  soaked  with  water,  it  seemed  at  first  a  really  hopeless 
task  to  think  of  getting  them  into  the  boat.  And  then, 
when  after  the  greatest  exertion,  they  were  finally  res- 
cued from  the  waves,  the  frail  bark  apeared  altogther  in- 
adequate to  the  task  of  bringing  to  the  shore  its  double 
load  of  inmates  against  a  strong  head  wind  and  angry 
billows  still  rolling  high. 

When,  however,  the  shore  was  finally  reached  and  the 
imperilled  inmates  landed  in  safety,  the  rescued  ones  were 
received  by  their  anxious  friends  with  tears, — "the  first 


IN  THK  OJIBWAY  COUNTRY  59 


time,"  adds  Mr.  Wright,  "that  I  had  ever  known  an  In- 
dian to  shed  tears !" 

One  of  the  women  was  a  daughter  of  the  head  chief, 
Porcupine;  the  other  being  the  daughter  of  the  second  ' 
chief.  It  was  very  evident  that  a  deep  impression  had 
been  made  by  this  incident  upon  the  minds  of  all  the 
Indians;  as  when  the  white  men  showed  themselves  thus 
willing  to  hazard  their  lives  for  the  red  men's  children, 
it  became  an  object  lesson  to  them  which  they  could  all 
readily  understand :  that  the  missionaries  were  after  all 
their  real  friends. 

And  thus  did  those  unselfish  and  heroic  spirits  seek,  by 
toil  and  at  the  peril  of  their  own  lives  to  win  the  perish- 
ing natives  of  the  wilderness  to  Christ. 


XII. 
FOREST  EXPERIENCES. 

Amid  all  the  turmoil  and  unrest  of  the  country — espe- 
cially along  its  south-western  border — over  the  pending 
annexation  of  Texas,  the  jealousy  of  Mexico,  and  the  ex- 
citing presidential  campaign  during  the  summer  and  au- 
tumn of  '44,  the  private  journal  of  our  Red  lake  mis- 
sionary, extending  over  the  same  period,  furnishes  a 
pleasing  and  restful  picture  of  the  manner  in  which  our 
great  national  holiday  was  observed  by  them  amid  the 
less  disquieting  environment  of  the  far  northern  frontier : 

"Awakened  this  morning  at  four  o'clock — not  as  for- 
merly on  this  anniversary  occasion,  by  the  roar  of  can- 
non and  the  rattle  of  smaller  artilery  reverbrating  on 
every  side,  but  amid  the  solemn  stillness  of  the  'forest 
primeval.'  The  sun  had  already  cast  his  gentle  rays  upon 
our  humble  dwelling,  seeking  entrance  thro  th,e  number- 


(3 

CO 


IN  THE  OJIBWAY  COUNTRY  61 

less  crevices  of  our  yet  unfiished  abode; — each  ray  as  it 
dawned  upon  our  sleeping  apartment,  seeming  to  say, 
'Come  forth,  and  enjoy  the  light.' 

"I  arose  and  prepared  myself  for  a  walk  in  the  woods ; 
but  there,  too,  all  was  silent,  save  the  fresh,  sweet  notes 
of  the  joyous  birds  perched  near  and  far  upon  the  dewy 
branches  of  the  trees,  and  the  occasional  ripple  of  the 
wavelets  quietly  playing  along  the  lake  shore.  And  in- 
stead of  being  surrounded  by  a  noisy  multitude  of  pleas- 
ure seekers,  I  walked  forth  alone  thro  the  vast  solemn 
aisles  of  the  forest.  The  calm,  pure  atmosphere  breathed 
peacefully  of  a  better  world,  and  seemed  to  fill  all  things 
with  the  reverent  spirit  of  worship  and  of  praise  to  the 
beneficent  Maker  of  all. 

"Returning  from  my  solitary  ramble,  I  milked  the  wait- 
ing cows,  and  drove  them  forth  to  their  shady  pasture. 
We  then  had  our  accustomed  season  of  worship;  after 
which  we  sat  down  to  a  very  frugal  repast,  consisting  of 
fish  and  a  few  pieces  of  bread  with  our  tea. 

"We  then  began  our  celebration  of  the  day  by  a  vig- 
orous assault  upon  our  present-day  enemies — the  'army 
worms' — which  had  quite  recently  invaded  our  little  gar- 
den and  threatened  its  speedy  and  entire  destruction.  In 
this  war  of  extermination,  my  wife  and  little  Indian  boy 
came  bravely  to  my  aid,  and  large  numbers  of  the  ruth- 
less invaders  were  taken  and  committed  unfeelingly  to 
the  flames. 

"Then,  while  Mrs.  B.  was  preparing  the  dinner,  I  fell 
into  a  sound  slumber ;  from  which  I  was  at  length  awak- 
ened by  a  cheery  call  to  dinner.  'Now  for  an  Independ- 
ence day  feast !'  I  exclaimed ;  to  which  my  good  wife 
responded,  'Yes;  and  since  we  have  been  having  only 
plain  fish  for  our  every  day  fare,  we  are  going  to  have  a 
rarity  for  the  present  occasion;  so  our  fish  will  be 
stuffed.' 


62  IN  THE  OJIBWAY  COUNTRY 

"After  dinner  we  renewed  our  conflict  with  our  re- 
maining enemies  in  the  garden;  and  at  five  o'clock  sat 
down  to  our  evening  meal,  consisting  of  the  remnant  of 
our  fish — served  cold." 

The  Barnards  had  previously  taken  into  their  home  the 
little  Indian  lad  referred  to  above,  caring  for  him  as  if 
he  were  their  own  child,  and  endeavoring  to  instruct  him 
in  the  knowledge  and  worship  of  the  true  God.  And  it 
was  found  that,  however  indifferent  and  dull  in  regard 
to  such  matters  the  older  persons  might  be,  there  was  lit- 
tle difficulty  in  reaching  the  heart  and  understanding  of 
this  young  child  with  the  teachings  and  spirit  of  the 
divine  Redeemer. 

After  some  patient  instruction  in, regard  to  the  proper 
observance  of  the  Lord's  day,  he  appeared  to  feel  very 
badly  when  he  chanced  to  see  his  own  mother  at  work  in 
the  field  on  that  day. 

"Perhaps,"  said  he,  "she  doesn't  know  that  it  is  the 
Sabbath;"  and  begged  that  he  might  go  and  ask  her  to 
leave  off  working  on  that  day.  Returning  shortly  after, 
he  reported  with  much  evident  relief,  that  his  mother  had 
assured  him  that  she  was  not  working  for  herself,  but  for 
the  wife  of  the  chief  who  had  previously  employed  her. 

Upon  his  retiring  to  rest  that  night,  Mr.  Barnard  said 
to  him,  "Franklin,  I  wish  you  to  learn  and  always  re- 
member this  little  prayer,"  at  the  same  time  repeating  to 
him  very  slowly  the  words  of  the  familiar  evening  prayer 
of  his  own  early  childhood,  "Now  I  lay  me  down  to  sleep," 
etc.  This  he  thoughtfully  repeated  after  him ;  and  on  the 
following  evening  said  to  his  kind  instructor,  "I  have  not 
forgotten  what  you  taught  me  last  night ;"  and  again  rev- 
erently repeated  the  simple  petition ;  and  added,  "Tomor- 
row I  will  tell  it  to  my  brothers,  that  they  may  learn  it 
too."  Truly  of  such  as  these,  the  Lord  has  said,  "Who- 


IN  THli  OJ1BWAY  COUNTRY  63 

soever  shall  not  receive  the  kingdom  of  God  as  a  little 
child,  shall  not  enter  therein." 

As  the  season  drew  to  a  close,  and  the  crisp  autumn 
atmosphere  reminded  them  of  the  near  approach  of  an- 
other winter,  it  is  not  strange  that  a  tinge  of  melancholy 
should  occasionally  shade  the  otherwise  always  cheerful 
pages  of  Mr.  Barnard's  journal.  Accordingly,  under 
date  of  October  ist,  he  writes,  "Winter  is  fast  appreach- 
ing — and  no  news  yet  from  the  east.  One  year  ago  this 
month  was  the  latest  word  we  have  had  from  our  beloved 
friends  at  home.  We  know  not  how  many  of  them  may 
yet  remain  in  the  land  of  the  dying.  We  can  only  commit 
them  to  the  care  of  an  all-wise  and  ever-loving  Father 
who  only  'doeth  all  things  well.' ': 

Moreover  the  steady  on-coming  of  that  justly  dreaded 
season  saw  them  as  yet  but  poorly  prepared  to  resist  its 
icy  blasts.  Their  winter  dwellings  were  still  unfinished; 
their  supplies  were  well-nigh  exhausted ;  and  as  yet  they 
had  received  no  encouraging  word — nor,  indeed,  any 
communication  of  any  sort — from  the  Society  under 
whose  auspices  they  had  gone  forth  on  their  unselfish 
ministry.  Sadly  realizing  how  vain  was  the  promised 
help  of  man,  they  were  yet  enabled  to  lay  fast  hold  by 
faith  on  the  unfailing  promises  of  Him  who  cannot  lie, 
and  who  had  said  in  His  word,  "Trust  in  the  Lord,  and 
do  good ;  so  shalt  thou  dwell  in  the  land — and  verily  thou 
shalt  be  fed." 

It  was  not  until  the  winter  had  fairly  set  in,  that  they 
were  permitted  to  exchange  their  old,  dilapidated  bark 
hut,  for  one  which,  tho  still  unfinished,  and  unprovided 
with  either  window  or  door,  was  considered  "comforta- 
ble" in  comparison  with  the  one  from  which  they  had 
just  emerged. 

The  little  room,  very  soon  after  it  had  been  occupied 
by  them,  was  filled  with  the  bright  expectant  faces  of  the 


64  IN  THE  OJIBWAY  COUNTRY 

Indian  children,  who  came  to  be  instructed  in  singing; 
and  whose  melodious  voices,  chanting  the  praises  of  the 
Redeemer,  cheered  from  day  to  day  the  drooping  spirits 
of  their  weary  and  home-sick  "teachers." 

Altho  no  converts  had  thus  far  been  gathered,  from 
among  the  natives,  the  first  Sabbath  of  the  new  year 
(January  5th,  1845)  was  a  memorable  one  in  the  history 
of  the  Mission  at  Red  lake,  by  reason  of  the  organization 
on  that  date,  of  the  first  Protestant  church  in  this  remote 
region.  It  was  composed  of  the  missionaries  and  their 
families,  in  all  seven  adults  and  three  children;  and  a 
precious  time  was  experienced  by  all  as  they  sat  down 
together  at  the  Master's  table.  It  was  truly  a  "church 
in  the  wilderness ;"  born  amid  the  wintry  solitude  of  the 
forest;  but  strong  in  the  hope  of  larger  things  awaiting 
their  prayers  and  faith ;  when  many  of  the  benighted  ones 
about  them  should  be  gathered  into  their  Master's  fold, 
and  sit  with  them  as  humble  disciples  at  the  feet  of  Jesus. 


XIII. 

MID-WINTER  JOURNEY  AND  MID-SUMMER 
TRIALS. 

Owing  to  the  difficulty  and  uncertainty  of  securing 
their  supplies  by  way  of  the  lakes,  Messrs.  Barnard  and 
Johnston  were  advised  to  make  a  trial  trip  to  Ft.  Snelling 
in  order  to  ascertain  the  feasibility  of  the  "Mississippi 
route." 

They  accordingly  set  out  together  from  Leech  lake  in 
the  latter  part  of  January  (1845),  and  arived  at  the  fort 
some  days  later  without  serious  mishap  or  delay.  The 
whole  intermediate  country  was  at  that  time  a  "waste, 
howling  wilderness ;"  there  being  only  a  few  small  trad- 
ing posts  above  the  falls  of  St.  Anthony.  On  the  present 
site  of  Mineapolis  they  found  only  a  small  government 
grist  mill,  attended  by  a  solitary  soldier  from  the  fort; 
and  where  the  city  of  St.  Paul  now  proudly  stands  there 
were  then  scarce  half  a  dozen  wretched  huts,  correspond- 


66  IN  THE  OJIBWAY  COUNTRY 

ing  to  the  reputation  of  the  inhabitants,  and  known  only 
as  "the  devil's  den." 

Having  concluded  their  commercial  arrangements,  the 
missionaries  paid  a  brief  visit  to  the  Pond  brothers  at 
their  mission  station  among  the  Sioux  Indians,  some 
miles  farther  up  the  Minnesota  river;  after  which  they 
prepared  to  retrace  their  lonely  journey  in  the  direction 
of  their  northern  home. 

About  midway  on  their  homeward  route,  they  came 
upon  a  large  gathering  of  Sioux  and  Ojibway  Indians, 
engaged  in  a  council  of  peace.  A  short  time  previous  a 
son  of  the  old  Sioux  chief  had  been  killed  by  an  Ojib- 
way ;  but  instead  of  taking  revenge  in  the  usual  manner, 
he  had  listened  to  the  good  advice  of  the  friendly  trader, 
and  had  comfe  to  smoke  the  pipe  of  peace  with  his  ene- 
mies. The  missionaries  being  invited  to  join  in  the  cer- 
emony, they  cheerfully  assented — as  being  themselves  the 
loyal  servants  of  the  Prince  of  peace.  Whereupon,  sit- 
ting down  beside  the  bereaved  chieftain,  they  received  the 
pipe  from  his  hand ;  and  having  taken  a  generous  whiff  of 
the  same,  passed  it  on  to  their  neighbors  in  token  of  their 
completed  friendly  alliance* 

The  approach  of  the  ensuing  spring,  with  its  myster- 
ious power  to  unlock  the  stored-up  sweetness  of  the  ma- 
ples, also  brought  new  life  and  cheer  to  the  misionaries, 
and  to  the  natives  as  well.  These  prepared  to  depart  for 
their  accustomed  sugar  camps;  while  the  others  decided 
upon  plans  for  a  vigorous  campaign  of  labor  in  the 
woods  as  soon  as  the  heavy  deposits  of  snow  should  have 
sufficiently  disappeared. 

It  was  during  these  closing  days  of  March  that  Mr. 
Barnard  pathetically  records  some  of  the  cherished  rec- 
ollections of  his  earlier  years :  "Eleven  years  ago  today," 
he  says,  "I  left  my  native  New  England  hills;  and  with 

*See  Appendix,  "A." 


IN  THK  OJIBWAY  COUNTRY  67 

father,  mother,  sisters  and  brothers  started  for  the  west- 
ern world  in  northern  Ohio.  Many  have  been  the  changes 
that  have  come  to  me  since  that  well  remembered  day. 
Then  I  could  behold  the  smiles  of  a  beloved  mother,  a 
kind  father,  and  affectionate  sisters  and  brothers.  But 
now,  how  changed  the  scene.  Ten  years  have  passed 
away  since  I  followed  the  mortal  remains  of  that  dear 
mother  to  the  narrow  house  appointed  for  all  the  living. 
Other  loved  ones  since  then  have  witnessed  my  parting 
tears;  and  here  am  I  today  in  this  distant  land,  sur- 
rounded by  the  poor  degraded  sons  of  the  forest.  Truly, 
we  are  creatures  of  a  day,  and  know  not  what  may  be  on 
the  morrow." 

With  the  return  of  the  Indians  from  their  sugar  mak- 
ing, and  with  the  renewal  of  active  operations  on  the  part 
of  the  missionaries  in  the  woods  and  gardens,  some  dis- 
cordant notes  began  to  be  heard;  and  with  the  lovely 
advant  of  the  first  Lord's  day  in  June,  the  long  brewing 
troubles  appeared  to  culminate  and  cast  their  baleful 
shadow  over  all  the  sweet  unfolding  beauty  of  the  outer 
world.  "This  day's  occurrences,"  writes  Mr.  Barnard, 
"have  caused  our  hearts  to  bleed.  We  see,  now,  and  ex- 
perience some  things  similar  to  that  we  have  heard  of  as 
taking  place  among  the  degraded  heathen;  and  we  can 
sympathize  better  than  ever  before  with  those  who  have 
been  called  to  suffer  from  their  wickedness  in  other 
lands." 

A  few  days  prior  to  this,  the  chief,  who  had  ever  been 
friendly  to  the  missionaries,  called  upon  them  with  a  re- 
quest for  a  half-dozen  shirts  as  an  initiation  fee  to  a 
grand  "medicine  dance,"  which  was  to  have  been  cele- 
brated that  same  day.  The  request  was  declined  on  the 
ground  of  its  tendency  to  build  up  those  heathenish  rites 
which  they  had  always  felt  bound  to  discountenance.  The 
result  of  his  disappointment  was  a  determination  the 


68  IN  THE  OJIBWAY  COUNTRY 

following  morning  to  frighten  the  missionaries  and  there- 
by drive  them  away. 

Accordingly  the  medicine  dance  was  called  for  on  that 
day,  and  a  number  of  neighboring  Indians  invited;  a 
large  quantity  of  "fire  water"  having  been  duly  provided 
for  the  occasion.  The  visitors  fully  anticipated  a  "big 
time,"  and  spent  the  whole  day  in  drinking  and  rioting. 
Many,  maddened  with  the  liquor,  went  abou*  raving  like 
frenzied  beasts,  making  the  most  hideous  yelps  and 
groans  imaginable. 

Along  in  the  middle  of  the  night,  Mr.  Barnard  was 
aroused  by  the  crashing  in  of  one  of  his  windows — every 
light  but  one  being  destroyed.  He  was  then  accosted  by 
the  wretch  outside,  and  ordered  to  come  out  of  the  house. 
After  much  parleying,  accompanied  by  savage  threats  of 
violence,  on  the  part  of  the  drunken  intruder,  the  mis- 
sionary quietly  refused  to  comply  with  the  demand,  and 
nervously  awaited  further  developments.  But  fortunate- 
ly for  him,  when  the  fury  of  the  frenzied  savage  was  at 
its  height,  some  of  the  sober  women  came  to  the  rescue, 
and  led  him  away;  thus  leaving  them,  for  the  time  at 
least,  undisturbed. 

The  next  morning  the  chief  called  on  Mr.  Barnard  and 
requested  him  to  accompany  him  to  the  house  of  Mr. 
Aver,  when  he  proceeded  to  express  himself  as  follows: 

"I  do  not  intend  to  shake  hands  with  you  this  morn- 
ing; but  I  wish  to  say  a  few  things  to  you,  and  tell  you 
what  I  intend  to  do.  You  see  the  results  of  the  past  day. 
You  have  done  it ;  you  have  caused  all  these  losses — not 
T.  I  am  clear.  When  I  ask  anything  of  the  trader,  he 
gives  it  to  me ;  you  do  not.  Tomorrow  you  shall  see  what 
I  will  do.  We  shall  not  have  our  dance  today.  The 
Good  Spirit  has  told  us  to  rest.  I  am  going  to  the  plains 
soon  to  hunt  the  buffalo;  but  I  shall  not  bid  you  fare- 
well. I  and  my  people  own  this  land.  I  have  lent  you 


IN  THE  OJ1BWAY  COUNTRY  69 

the  land  for  four  winters.    Three  you  have  already  been 
here ;  one  more,  and  then — 

"^respect  you  all.  I  love  those  children,"  pointing  to 
Mr.  Ayer's  two  boys;  "I  love  your  cattle;  they  work  for 
us  all  the  time.  I  love  your  women,  who  teach  our  wives 
and  children.  But  my  heart  is  as  hard  as  a  stone.  I  have 
done  no  wrong ;  but  you,  I  repeat  it,  you  are  the  cause  of 
all  this  trouble.  I  am  about  to  go  out  of  this  house.  I 
shall  not  enter  it  again.  I  have  finished  what  I  had  to 
say." 

This  unfriendly  episode  led  the  missionaries  at  last  to 
see  that  the  time  had  come  when  it  was  necessary  to  have 
a  clearer  understanding  as  to  the  real  feelings  and  inten- 
tions of  their  neighbors;  since,  if  their  work  was  to  be 
permanently  arrested  at  the  end  of  the  four  years,  it  were 
better  to  know  it  at  once,  and  thus  prepare  to  change 
their  location  for  one  giving  better  promise  of  perma- 
nency. 

So  another  meeting  was  had  with  the  old  chief,  at 
which  he  was  made  to  understand  that  they  were  deter- 
mined to  have  the  matter  settled  definitely ;  and  that  they 
were  ready  to  leave  the  country  at  once  if  not  encour- 
aged to  remain. 

This  brought  the  old  man  to  terms;  as  it  was  evident 
his  people  would  not  sustain  him  in  his  previous  position ; 
and  he  now  expressed  his  desire  that  the  "teachers" 
would  remain  with  them.  He  then,  more  rationally  and 
justly,  attributed  all  his  trouble  to  the  whiskey  as  the 
real  cause ;  praised  the  missionaries  to  the  highest  degree ; 
and  begged  that  they  would  not  for  one  moment  think  of 
going  away — even  at  the  end  of  the  four  years. 

Evidently  the  chief  had  been  led  to  change  his  mind; 
and  after  a  day  or  so  they  departed  on  their  summer 
hunt — "all  in  peace  and  good  will." 


XIV. 
NEW  CALLS  FOR  "TEACHERS." 

Following  hard  on  the  heels  of  their  late  troubles  came 
"evil  tidings"  from  their  brethren  atJLeech  lake.  A  gang 
of  lawless  Indians,  whom  their  chief  appeared  to  be  un- 
able to  control,  were  committing  such  depredations  upon 
their  cattle  and  other  property  as  had  forced  them  to 
appeal  for  help,  in  order  to  save  their  lives,  as  well  as 
their  property,  from  the  destruction  openly  threatened. 

In  response  to  an  appeal  so  urgent,  Mr.  Barnard,  accom- 
panied by  an  Indian  boatman  and  his  boy,  Frank,  hast- 
ily set  out  for  the  scene  of  difficulty.  Having  encamped 
on  the  evening  of  the  their  second  day  out,  not  far  from 
Cass  lake,  and  kindling  a  fire  in  order  to  prepare  their 
supper  and  keep  off  the  troublesome  mosquitoes — as  well 
as  to  prevent  the  predatory  approach  of  animals  prowling 
about — they  were  sleeping  soundly  in  their  blankets,  when 


72  IN  THB  OJIBWAY  COUNTRY 

awakened  the  next  morning  by  the  ominous  sound  of 
thunder  rolling  in  the  distance. 

This  and  the  heavy,  dark  clouds  moving  from  the 
southwest,  betokened  the  aproach  of  a  serious  storm. 
Arousing  his  man  and  the  boy,  they  hurriedly  broke 
camp,  and  were  soon  speeding  down  the  stream  in  quest  of 
a  more  secure  retreat  from  the  rapidly  approaching  tem- 
pest. But  notwithstanding  their  most  heroic  efforts,  they 
were  soon  overtaken  by  its  fury,  and  arrived  at  their  cov- 
eted place  of  refuge  in  the  midst  of  a  terrific  down-pour 
of  rain,  accompanied  by  vivid  flashes  of  lightning  and 
the  most  awe-inspiring  thunder. 

Here  at  Qass  lake  they  found  shelter  in  an  Indian  wig- 
v/am;  which,  altho  already  more  than  comfortably  full, 
admitted  the  drenched  "voyageurs,"  and  showed  them  no 
lit*!e  kindness  withal.  In  the  course  of  their  conversa- 
tion, their  desire  for  a  "teacher"  became  unmistakably 
manifest,  and  they  finally  urged  that  one  might  be  sent 
them  at  once.  After  the  storm  had  abated,  one  of  their 
number  accompanied  Mr.  Barnard  a  distance  of  two  or 
three  miles  along  the  lake  shore  in  order  to  show  him  a 
'•good  place"  for  a  mission  station — all  the  while  urging 
the  point,  "  we  want  a  'teacher'  very  much." 

Another  said  to  him,  "I  was  until  this  year  a  resident 
of  Leech  lake  but  I  have  left  that  place ;  the  Indians  there 
are  too  hard  for  me.  I  intend,"  he  added,  "to  go  back 
there  as  soon  as  I  finish  the  canoe  I  am  building,  and 
shall  try  to  persuade  these  'teachers'  to  come  and  live 
here  with  us." 

Thus  these  Indians — all  to  a  man — were  found  plead- 
ing for  "teachers ;"  and  tho  the  besieged  missionary  could 
promise  them  no  immediate  supply,  he  assured  them  that 
he  would  do  all  in  his  power  to  provide  for  their  need. 

On  reaching  Leech  lake,  they  were  confronted  by  such 
signs  of  lawlessness  and  persistent  opposition  to  their 


IN  THE  OJIBWAY  COUNTRY  73 

v/otk  as  seemed  to  necessitate  the  immediate  abandon- 
ment of  the  Mision  at  that  place.  After  which  Dr.  Lewis 
and  his  wife,  and  Mr.  Spencer,  joined  their  friends  at 
Red  lake,  while  Mr.  Johnston  decided  to  return  to  the 
vicinity  of  lake  Superior. 

Late  in  the  ensuing  autumn  there  came  another  call  for 
"teachers" — this  time  from  the  Indians  on  the  north  shore 
of~~Rc<I  lake.  Their  aged  chief,  coming  in  person  to  lay 
before  the  missionaries  the  wishes  of  the  people,  offered 
to  give  them  his  own  garden,  or  indeed  almost  any  spot 
of  ground  they  might  desire,  for  the  location  of  the  mis- 
sion premises.  "And  this,"  adds  Mr.  Barnard,  "I  con- 
sidered to  be  the  finger  of  God  pointing  us  thither." 

Encouraged  by  their  response,  the  old  chief  returned 
across  the  lake  to  inform  his  people  of  the  prospect  of  a 
""teacher."  Meanwhile,  it  had  been  decided  that  in  case 
a  station  should  be  located  there,  the  principal  burden  of 
conducting  the  same  would  have  to  fall  on  Mr.  Barn- 
ard and  his  devoted  wife.  And  this  fact,  in  view  of  his 
own  inexperience  and  want  of  facility  in  the  use  of  the 
native  language,  led  him  to  feel  greatly  depressed  at  the 
thot  of  assuming  so  grave  a  responsibility.  But  placing 
all  his  trust  in  the  God  of  missions,  he  resolved  to  go 
resolutely  forward  in  whatever  way  His  providence  might 
continue  to  indicate. 

Accordingly  taking  advantage  of  a  light  southerly 
breeze  one  fine  morning  early  in  November,  the  mission- 
aries, accompanied  also  by  Mr.  Ayer's  two  little  boys- 
Walter  and  Lyman— set  out  for  a  sail  across  the  lake  in 
order  to  look  up  a  suitable  site  for  the  new  station.  Ar- 
riving at  their  destination,  they  were  saluted  by  a  solitary 
Indian,  who  stood  on  the  shore  and  invited  them  to  land. 
He  informed  them  that  his  people  were  all  attending  a 
medicine  dance;  and  that  he  had  been  commissioned  by 
his  brother,  the  chief,  to  show  them  the  country,  The 


74  IN  THE  OJIBWAY  COUNTRY 

missionaries  having  then  landed,  proceeded  to  set  up  their 
tent ;  after  which  they  accompanied  their  guide  on  a  brief 
tour  of  the  district ;  and  returning  at  sunset  well  pleased 
with  the  prospect,  they  made  their  tea  and  prepared  to 
dispose  themselves  for  the  night. 

Before  retiring  to  rest,  however,  Mr.  Barnard  with- 
drew into  the  solitude  of  the  forest  in  order  to  meditate 
and  counsel  alone  with  God.  His  thoughts  were  filled 
with  a  devout  review  of  His  gracious  leadings  in  all  the 
past,  as  well  as  with  a  solemn  sense  of  the  responsibility 
now  contemplated;  and  returning  at  last  to  the  lonely 
little  tent  by  the  silent  lake  shore,  he  sought  his  humble 
resting  place — but  not  to  sleep.  Having  viewed  the  land, 
and  selected  the  site,  his  mind  was  filled  with  plans  re- 
garding the  buildings  to  be  constructed,  and  the  care  of 
the  future  Mission.  Wearily  for  him  the  long  night 
passed  away ;  with  nothing  to  break  the  solemn  stillness 
save  the  quiet  lapping  of  the  waves  along  the  shore  and 
the  plaintive  moaning  of  the  autumn  winds  among  the 
over-shadowing  pines. 

Having  completed  their  survey  of  the  land  the  follow- 
ing day,  they  were  about  to  embark  for  home,  when  one 
of  the  Indians  came  running  down  to  the  shore  protest- 
ing that  his  people  were  not  at  all  pleased  that  they  had 
not  all  been  consulted  in  their  public  council.  Where- 
upon, deciding  that  it  would  be  prudent  to  comply  with 
their  wishes,  they  proceeded  to  accompany  him  thither; 
and  were  informed  on  the  way  that  they  might  expect  to 
be  asked  for  money,  in  consideration  of  the  privilege  that 
might  be  accorded  them  of  occupying  the  land. 

To  this  unexpected  demand  the  missionaries  were  not 
at  all  prepared  to  accede ;  and  as  the  result  of  the  confer- 
ence with  them,  they  concluded  to  return  to  their  station 
across  the  lake  and  wait  for  a  more  favorable  time  for 
the  carrying  out  of  their  now  disconcerted  plans. 


IN  THE  OJIBWAY  COUNTRY  75 

Disappointed  in  their  expectations  of  establishing  a  sta- 
tion on  the  north  shore  of  the  lake,  they  were  now  ready 
to  respond  to  the  oft-repeated  appeals  of  the  Indians  of 
Cass  lake.  And  for  this  work  Messrs.  Barnard  and  wife, 
and  Mr.  Spencer,  were  chosen.  They  accordingly  visited 
the  region,  selected  a  location  some  three  miles  from  the 
outskirts  of  the  lake,  and  employed  the  remainder  of  the 
winter  in  removing  their  goods  thither,  and  in  cutting 
down  and  hauling  out  the  timbers  for  a  building,  prepar- 
atory to  more  active  operations  in  the  spring. 


XV. 
RIOTING  AND  MOURNING. 

Close  to  the  Indian  village  of  Gasininsika — some  three  or 
four  miles  from  the  Mission — was  located  the  trader's 
store.  His  chief  stock  in  trade  consisted  of  shirts  and 
blankets,. beads,  tobacco,  and  an  unfailing  supply  of  "fire- 
water," or  bad  whiskey.  The  whiskey  was  his  drawing 
card,  and  the  most  profitable  medium  of  exchange  in 
dealing  with  the  Indian  hunter  for  his  valuable  furs. 
However  unjustly  in  some  cases,  the  "Indian  trader"  has 
always  enjoyed  among  the  more  discriminating  whites  a 
reputation  far  from  enviable.  Between  him  and  the 
Christian  missionary  there  has  generally  been  little 
enough  in  common.  As  a  rule  the  trader  has  had  no  use 
for  the  man  of  God ;  while  the  latter  would  as  willingly 
have  dispensed  with  him  and  his  nefarious  traffic  in  body 
and  soul  destroying  liquors. 


IN  THE  OJIBWAT  COUNTRY  77 

What  the  missionary  was  seeking  at  the  hazard  of  his 
life  to  uphold  in  the  native  character,  the  unscrupulous 
trader,  by  his  business  and  personal  influence  thereby, 
was  as  assiduously  tending  to  tear  down  and  destroy.  If 
the  one  sought  to  instruct  the  poor  Indian  and  his  chil- 
dren in  the  way  of  truth  and  righteousness,  the  other  was 
a  no  less  diligent  instructor  in  the  school  of  vice  and  im- 
morality. 

However  much,  therefore,  the  white  races  may  have 
suffered  from  the  evils  of  intemperance,  it  is  certain  that 
the  introduction  of  the  "fire  water"  among  the  native 
races — and  the  vicious  manners  of  those  introducing  it  has 
done  more  than  aught  else  to  demoralize  and  ruin  a  once 
noble  race. 

We  have  already  seen,  in  a  former  chapter,  what 
trouble  and  unhappiness  to  themselves,  as  well  as  of  peril 
to  the  unoffending  misionaries,  was  wrought  by  means 
of  the  maddening  drinks  which  the  conscienceless  trader 
had  supplied.  Another  similar  outbreak,  doubtless  in- 
tended to  terrorize  the  defenseless  missionaries,  occurred 
some  week  later,  and  is  thus  described  by  one  of  the  suf- 
ferers: 

"One  morning  early  in  September,  the  chief  and  nearly 
all  his  people  repaired  to  the  village  to  engage  in  a  drunk- 
en carousal.  It  ended  sadly  enough  for  the  chief  and  his 
family  especially,  as  it  was  broken  up  thro  the  drink  and 
gambling.  His  unhappy  wife  was  compelled  to  flee  for 
her  life  into  the  forest;  while  the  children  went  about 
weeping  broken-heartedly,  and  calling  piteously  for  their 
exiled  mother. 

"Returning  from  the  village,  the  drunken  heathen 
raged  all  the  following  night  around  the  mission  prem- 
ises, filling  the  long  hours  with  their  demoniac  yells  and 
the  sounds  of  frenzied  strife." 

Meanwhile  the  helpless  inmates  of  the  Mission — like 


78-  IN  THE  OJIBWAY  COUNTRY 

Daniel  in  the  den  of  lions — spent  the  night  in  prayer  to 
God;  and  were  grateful  indeed,  when  the  fury  of  the 
howling  savages  had  at  last  spent  itself,  leaving  them 
unharmed. 

An  event  of  unusually  mourful  interest  occurred  at  the 
lake  at  the  very  opening  of  the  year  (1846) :  At  day- 
break two  of  the  leading  men  among  the  Indians  came  to 
the  door  of  the  missionaries,  and  saluting  them  with  a 
volley  from  their  muskets,  said,  "We  thank  the  Great 
Spirit  that  we  live  to  see  another  new  year."  Soon  there- 
after the  bell  was  rung;  and  the  Indians,  young  and  old,  ; 
came  flocking  in  to  receive  their  accustomed  "new  year's 
gift,"  consisting  of  a  small  cake  and  a  little  sweetened 
water  previously  prepared  for  all. 

The  simple  ceremony  was  scarcely  over,  when  one 
came  in  bringing  the  sad  news  that  a  young  Indian  girl — 
sister  to  one  whom  the  Barnards  had  taken  into  their 
own  family — was  now  lying  at  the  point  of  death.  Has- 
tening to  the  spot,  they  found  that  her  spirit  had  already 
taken  its  flight.  So  while  Dr.  Lewis  closed  her  eyes,  Mr. 
Barnard  addressed  some  comforting  words  to  the  be- 
reaved parents  and  relatives;  telling  them  not  to  grieve 
and  torment  themselves  as  the  Indians  were  wont  to  do ; 
that  the  Lord  has  seen  fit  to  take  their  loved  one  to  Him- 
self ;  and  that  He  knew  what  was  for  the  best.  Having 
given  her  to  them,  He  was  now  calling  upon  them  to 
return  her  again  to  Him;  and  other  words  in  a  similar 
strain. 

The  house  was  filled  with  mourning  relatives  and 
friends,  who  listened  with  close  attention  to  the  speaker, 
and  who  appeared  to  be  much  impressed.  They  then  gave 
the  body  over  to  the  missionaries  to  be  buried  after  the 
Christian  custom ;  and  this  the  latter  regarded  as  a  great 
advance  toward  Christianity,  as  the  Indians  hold  their 
funeral  rites  very  sacred. 


IN  THE  O  JIB  WAY  COUNTRY  79 

After  Mr.  Barnard  had  concluded  with  some  further 
remarks,  the  father  of  the  dead  child  also  gave  expres- 
sion to  a  few  words,  in  which  he  manifested  a  decided 
change  from  his  former  views.  He  said  he  wished  it  to  be 
understood  by  all  present  that  he  had  adopted  the  white 
man's  ways ;  and  he  thanked  the  Great  Spirit  that  He  had 
inclined  the  "teachers"  to  sympathize  with  him  and  his 
family  in  their  affliction. 

The  missionaries  then  made  a  plain  coffin  and  dug  a 
grave;  after  which  they  returned  to  convey  thither  the 
remains.  Very  tenderly  the  body  was  placed  in  the 
coffin,  and  received  from  the  weeping  relatives  gathered 
closely  around,  the  parting  kiss.  Those  who  are  accus- 
tomed to  speak  slightingly  of  the  Indian  and  of  his  inner 
life  and  feelings,  would  have  found  it  affecting  indeed 
to  have  seen  them  take  their  last  sorrowful  farewell  of 
their  beloved  one.  Tears  rolled  silently  down  the  afflicted 
father's  face  as  he  aproached  the  cold  form  of  his  child, 
so  soon  to  be  laid  away  in  the  silent  grave.  Then  kneel- 
ing with  bowed  head  beside  the  coffin,  and  kissing  the 
unanswering  face  of  the  departed  one,  he  voiced  the  elo- 
quent lament  of  a  sad  and  chastened  soul :  "My  daugh- 
ter, oh,  my  daughter,  thou  hast  left  us — thou  has  left  us ; 
the  Lord  has  taken  thee  away !" 

He  then  turned  to  his  fellow  mourners  and  said,  "Now 
do  not  weep  when  my  daughter  is  carried  out  of  the 
house;  the  Lord  has  seen  best  to  take  her  away;  let  us 
not  mourn  for  her ;  God  who  owns  us  all  knows  what  is 
best." 

Then  as  the  body  was  being  borne  to  the  grave,  the 
parents  followed  closely  behind — not  openly  lamenting 
and  wailing  as  the  Indians  usually  do — but  calm  and  com- 
posed in  manner.  On  the  way  the  father  was  heard  to 
say  to  his  sorrow-stricken  wife,  "Now  let  us  not  weep 
for  our  daughter  who  has  gone  from  us ;  the  Lord  has 


80  IN  THE  OJIBWAY  COUNTRY 

taken  her  to  Himself.  Let  us  try  to  live  as  the  Great 
Sprit  would  have  us.  I  will  try  to  do  so;  and  I  want 
you  to  help  me." 

Having  arrived  at  the  grave,  the  mortal  remains  of  the 
departed  girl  were  committed  to  their  final  resting  place, 
underneath  the  soughing  pines  she  had  loved  so  well ;  and 
as  the  others  softly  retired  from  the  sacred  spot,  the  par- 
ental mourners  remained — silent,  but  bowed  with  grief 
over  the  frozen  clay. 

At  the  Sabbath  services  nearly  a  fortnight  after  this 
sad  event,  an  unusual  interest  was  observed  on  the  part 
of  the  Indians ;  and  at  the  close  of  the  service,  Mr.  Ayer 
requested  those  who  were  alreadv  determined  to  put  away 
their  sins  and  endeavor  to  live  a  Christian  life,  to  rise 
up  in  the  presence  of  the  congregation;  whereupon  the 
parents  of  the  departed  at  once  responded,  as  did  also 
several  younger  persons. 

And  this  marked  the  beginning  of  a  precious  revival ; 
in  which  quite  a  number  of  the  natives  were  hopefully 
converted.  Many  of  these  afterwards  united  with  the 
church — the  greater  portion  of  whom  honored  their  pro- 
fession and  died  in  the  triumphs  of  the  Christian  faith. 

Thus  were  the  hearts  of  those  faithful  workers  cheered 
at  last  by  seeing  many  of  the  poor  heathen,  for  whom 
they  had  labored  and  prayed  so  long  and  patiently,  now 
penitently  coming  to  Christ. 


XVI. 
MISSION  OPENED  AT  CASS  LAKE. 

The  middle  of  February  (1846)  saw  the  Barnards  and 
Mr.  Spencer  at  Cass  lake  eager  to  open  the  new  mission 
station  there.  A  bark  hut  was  hastily  constructed  for 
summer  use;  and  a  commodious  log  dwelling  begun, 
which  however  was  not  completed  before  the  following 
September. 

A  week  or  so  later  they  laid  the  foundation  for  a  school 
house  "the  first  log  of  which  was  taken  from  the  first 
tree  cut  on  the  mission  ground  more  than  six  months 
previously."  Over  this  log  the  two  men  had  held  "a 
prayer  meeting;"  and  from  that  time  on,  observes  Mr. 
Barnard,  "it  was  our  unfailing  custom  upon  commencing 
any  important  piece  of  work,  to  seek  the  guidance  and 
blessing  of  the  God  of  missions ;  nor  has  it  been  in  vain 
that  we  have  done  so." 

About  this  time  a  sad  disappointment  befell  them  in 
consequence  of  the  non-arrival  of  long-expected  and 
much  needed  helpers  for  their  promising  school  work. 


82  IN  THE  OJIBWAT  COUNTRY 

However,  modifying  their  over  sanguine  plans,  in  order 
to  meet  their  present  requirements,  the  new  school  house 
was  left  unfinished  for  the  winter ;  and  the  daily  instruc- 
tion of  the  native  women  and  children  was  undertaken 
by  the  missionaries  in  the  kitchen  of  their  own  dwelling. 

By  so  doing,  however,  they  were  subject,  not  only  dur- 
ing the  school  bourse  but  at  all  other  times  as  well,  to 
the  unseasonable  intrusion  of  both  children  and  parents, 
and  the  never-failing  accompaniment  of  half-starved  dogs 
and  vermin.  No  need,  in  their  case,  surely,  to  voice  the 
old  refrain: 

"Oh,  dear,  what  can  the  matter  be? 
Parents  don't  visit  the  school." 

Amid  such  "scenes  of  confusion"  and  incessant  annoy- 
ance, the  devoted  missionary's  wife,  in  addition  to  her 
ordinary  household  cares,  patiently  taught  the  children 
and  gave  instruction  to  the  women  in  needle  work  and 
"other  useful  knowledge  of  civilized  domestic  life/ 

The  fondness  of  the  Indians  for  music  was  early  re- 
marked ;  and  the  missionaries  were  not  slow  to  employ 
the  persuasive  influence  of  sacred  song  in  order  to  reach 
the  hearts  and  minds  of  young  and  old  alike  with  the 
devout  and  elevating  sentiments  expressed  therein.  The 
services  on  Sabbath  mornings,  announced  by  the  ringing 
of  a  bell,  were  usually  attended  by  the  chief  and  his  son, 
as  well  as  by  most  others  within  hearing  of  the  bell. 

When  thus  convened  they  would  all  sit  and  listen  with 
rapt  attention  and  interest  to  the  music  of  the  beautiful 
gospel  hymns,  sung  in  their  own  language,  interspersed 
as  they  usually  were  with  choice  selections  of  Scripture 
and  gospel  exhortations.  Thus  while  the  children  were 
making  rapid  progress  in  the  various  branches  daily 
taught  them,  their  patient  teachers  were  pleased  to  note 
how  the  wild  and  warlike  songs  of  the  native  youth  were 
gradually  being  replaced  by  hymns  of  praise  to  the  di- 
vine Redeemer. 


IN  THB  OJIBVVAY  COUNTRY  83 

One  of  their  favorite  hymns,  "The  Heavenly  Land,"  in 
both  the  native  and  English  versions,  ran  as  follows: 

'Sh-pe-ming  ke-guh-zhat-min. 

Pah-ne-mah,  pah-ne-mah ; 
(We  shall  reach  the  heavenly  land, 

By  and  by,  by  and  by ;) 
O-da-nang-pin  de-ga-yung, 

Pah-ne-mah,  pah-ne-mah, 
(We  shall  pass  those  pearly  gates. 

By  and  by,  by  and  by.) 
Ke-guh-nuh,  guh-mo-min-dush, 

Pah-ne-mah,  pah-ne-mah, 
(We  shall  sing  redeeming  love, 

By  and  by,  by  and  by,)  etc. 

Meanwhile  in  addition  to  these  and  the  ordinary  Sab- 
bath services,  other  casual  oportunities  of  presenting  the 
gospel  to  the  natives  were  seldom  permitted  to  pass  by 
unimproved.  How  this  was  sometimes  done  in  connec- 
tion with  their  evening  worship  is  related  by  Mr.  Barn- 
ard in  his  journal : 

"W'hile  engaged  at  our  work  one  afternoon,  the  old 
chief  and  one  of  his  friends — a  renegade  soldier — came 
along  and  sat  down  on  a  pine  log  near  by,  and  quietly 
conversed  with  us  on  various  topics.  Altho  surmising 
that  they  had  come,  as  they  had  frequently  done  before, 
in  order  to  be  present  at  our  evening  worship,  the  work 
engaging  our  attention  at  the  time  was  so  pressing  that 
we  kept  right  on  until  after  our  usual  hour  for  worship. 

"At  length  the  chief  arose  from  where  he  was  sitting, 
and  suggested  to  his  friend  that  they  might  as  well  go 
into  the  house;  and  turning  to  me,  added,  'We  will  now 
go  in  and  wait  for  you  there,  expecting  that  you  will  also 
come  in  later  and  preach  to  us.' 

"Touched  by  the  chief's  evident  frankness,  so  unusual 
on  the  part  of  an  Indian,  in  expressing  a  willingness  to 
listen  to  the  gospel,  I  replied  that  we  would  be  in  very 


P4  IN  THE  OJ1BWAY  COUNTRY 

soon ;  and  hastened  to  complete  the  work  in  hand.  Mean- 
while I  kept  praying  inwardly  that  we  might  be  guided 
aright  in  the  selection  of  Scripture  best  suited  to  their 
need.  The  passage  we  were  led  to  select  was  the  one  in 
the  first  chapter  of  Paul's  Epistle  to  the  Romans,  in 
which  the  heathen  are  described,  and  declared  to  be 
'without  excuse'  altho  they  may  not  have  had  the  written 
law  of  God/' 

Mr.  Barnard  then  proceeded  to  expound  and  apply  as 
pungently  as  possible  this  portion  of  the  Word.  And 
truly  the  Lord  was  with  him  there,  as  for  two  whole 
hours  he  addressed  the  heathen  chieftain  and  his  profli- 
gate associate — reasoning  with  them,  as  Paul  with  Felix, 
of  "righteousness,  temperance  and  the  coming  judgment." 
Most  vividly  and  feelingly  the  faithful  ambassador  of 
Christ  portrayed  the  sad  apostasy  of  the  entire  race,  the 
guilt  of  every  sinner,  with  or  without  the  law,  in  the 
sight  of  an  infinitely  holy  God ;  and  closed  his  solemn  dis- 
course by  earnestly  pointing  his  benighted  but  now  awak- 
ened hearers  to  the  one  divine  remedy  for  sin — "the 
Lamb  of  God  who  beareth  away  the  sin  of  the  world." 

While  God  by  His  servant  was  thus  making  His  gra- 
cious appeal  to  the  hearts  and  consciences  of  these  men, 
they  sat  there  in  the  deepening  twilight  amid  the  weird 
shadows  cast  by  the  flickering  light  of  a  smouldering 
fire — listening  in  rapt  attention  to  the  solemn  declara- 
tions of  the  law  and  the  gracious  pleadings  of  the  gospel ; 
the  aged  chieftain  often  wiping  his  eyes  with  his  soiled 
and  faded  handkerchief,  and  leaning  forward  in  the  dim 
light  in  order  to  see  the  preacher's  face  and  catch  his 
every  utterance. 

During  the  interview  that  followed,  the  chief  remarked, 
"We  understand,  by  experience,  that  is,  we  believe  a  part 
of  what  you  have  said.  We  speak  of  one  Great  Spirit 
who  made  the  world  and  all  things ;  but  you  have  some- 


IN  THE  OJIBWAY  COUNTRY  85 

•  thing  which  we  have  not — you  have  a  Book." 

"Does  your  religion  know  anything  about  the  Son  of 
God?"  inquired  the  missionary. 

"Oh,  no,"  he  replied. 

"Well,  He  is  the  only  one  upon  whom  we  depend  for 
salvation ;  for  without  an  experimental  knowledge  of 
Him,  no  one  can  enter  Heaven." 

Many  other  things  were  said  in  a  similar  vein,  to  which 
both  the  men  appeared  to  be  giving  the  most  earnest  heed. 
Then  inwardly  praying  that  the  Holy  Spirit  might  apply 
His  own  solemn  truths  to  their  consciences,  a  lighted 
pine  torch  was  placed  in  their  hands  to  guide  them  on 
their  way  thro  the  darkness  which  now  enshrouded  the 
lonely  forest.  And  as  the  two  passed  out  into  the  night, 
and  the  feeble  light  from  their  trembling  torches  grew 
dim  and  at  last  disappeared  in  the  darkness,  the  mission- 
aries re-entered  their  humble  dwelling  to  pray  that  the 
true  Light  might  shine  into  their  darkened  souls  and 
guide  them  to  His  own  eternal  home  above, 

Again  on  the  second  day  after  the  foregoing  interview, 
and  just  before  their  usual  hour  for  evening  worship,  the 
chief  entered ;  this  time  alone,  carrying  in  his  hand  a 
small  quantity  of  wild  rice  as  a  "present"  for  the  mis- 
sionary. His  apearance  and  manner  indicated  that  he 
had  come  to  hear  more  of  the  truth.  So  looking  to  the 
Lord  for  direction,  Mr.  Barnard  turned  to  the  description 
of  Heaven  as  given  by  St.  John  in  Rev.  xxi ;  and  also  the 
parable  of  the  rich  man  and  Lazarus,  in  Luke  xvi. 

As  these  sublime  and  awful  truths  were  read  and  dwelt 
upon,  the  chief  sat  listening  with  all  the  eagerness  of  a 
little  child;  and  none  present  could  doubt  that  he,  like 
the  one  who  came  to  Jesus  by  night,  was  a  sincere  and 
interested  seeker  after  divine  truth —  a  soul  in  darkness 
feeling  after  the  living  God. 


XVII. 
DAYS  OF  TRIAL. 

Altho  not  claiming  to  be  an  adept  in  medical  science, 
Mr.  Barnard  was  a  good  nurse,  and  was  often  called  upon 
by  his  dusky  neighbors  for  the  exercise  of  whatever 
knowledge  and  skill  he  might  possess  in  cases  too  stub- 
born to  yield  to  the  barbarous  methods  of  the  native  prac- 
titioners. He  was  approached  one  bleak  autumn  day 
by  the  chief  who  gravely  informed  him  of  the  serious  ill- 
ness of  his  daughter.  The  chief  was  himself  a  "medicine 
man,"  but  finding  all  their  accustomed  arts  and  con  juries 
unavailing,  he  had  come  at  last  to  the  "teacher"  for 
advice. 

Regarding  this  as  a  favorable  opportunity  to  show 
them  a  kindness,  Mr.  Barnard  left  his  work  and  went 
with  the  anxious  father  to  see  his  child.  Upon  entering 
the  wigwam,  made  especially  for  the  sufferer,  he  found  a 


IN  THE  OJIBWAY  COUNTRY  87 

number  of  the  medicine  men  sitting  around  with  their 
conjuring  instruments  beside  them.  Taking  the  place 
assigned  him  near  the  child,  he  proceeded  to  examine  the 
symptoms  of  the  disease,  while  the  eyes  of  all  present 
were  intently  fixed  upon  him.  He  then  informed  them 
of  the  nature  of  the  illness,  and  indicated  what  he  would 
do  for  her  if  she  were  his  own  child.  But  they  all  silently 
shook  their  heads,  and  said  they  were  afraid  to  adopt  the 
treatment  recommended,  as  she  was  too  weak  to  take  the 
medicine — to  confirm  which  they  pointed  at  her  feet, 
which  they  declared  to  be  already  smitten  with  the  chill 
of  death. 

After  stating  more  fully  his  reasons  for  the  treatment 
he  had  recommended,  he  left  them  to  deliberate  among 
themselves  in  regard  to  the  case;  and  soon  after  the 
noise  of  the  drum,  accompanied  by  the  wild  yelling  of 
the  conjurers,  too  plainly  informed  him  that  they  were 
determined  to  do  their  utmost  to  imperil  the  safety  of  the 
poor  little  sufferer. 

Early  the  following  morning  the  chief  came  around 
again ;  and  when  asked  as  to  the  condition  of  his  daugh- 
ter, he  shook  his  head  and  sadly  responded,  "She  is  no 
better ;  and  I  have  come  to  ask  you  if  you  will  not  consent 
to  take  her  and  try  to  cure  her." 

"If  you  had  consented  to  this  yesterday,"  replied  the 
missionary,  "I  have  no  doubt  she  could  have  been  cured ; 
but  now  I  fear  it  may  be  too  late." 

"Well,"  he  sadly  responded,  "I  was  not  opposed  to  your 
proposition ;  altho  my  wife  was.  She  loved  her  daughter 
greatly.  However  this  morning  as  the  day  began  to  dawn, 
I  reflected  much  upon  the  matter  and  said  to  my  wife, 
'You  see  our  situation;  our  daughter  will  surely  die  in 
spite  of  all  we  Indians  can  do  for  her.  We  only  shake 
the  rattle  over  her  and  beat  the  drum  and  yell.  We  give 
her  no  medicine.  Now  what  say  you;  shall  we  not  let 


88  IN  THB  OJIBWAY  COUNTRY 

the  teacher  give  her  some  medicine?  Perhaps  he  may  be 
able  to  save  her;  if  not,  she  will  surely  die.'  At  last  she 
gave  her  consent ;  and  we  thought,"  he  added  cautiously, 
"that  if  you  should  be  willing  to  allow  our  daughter  to 
be  brought  to  your  house,  it  would  be  much  better,  since 
then  she  would  not  be  disturbed  by  the  noise." 

The  missionary  having  expressed  his  willingness  to  do 
all  in  his  power  for  the  child,  he  returned  with  the  father 
and  soon  had  the  little  patient  conveyed  to  his  own  house 
as  they  had  requested. 

The  poor  child  was  found  to  be  covered  with  filth  and 
vermin,  as  well  as  in  great  suffering  from  the  disease. 
After  Mrs.  Barnard  had  bathed  her  and  supplied  her  with 
a  clean  garment,  some  mild  remedies  were  employed,  af- 
ter which  she  was  permitted  to  enjoy  the  luxury  of  a 
repose  which,  having  been  constantly  terrified  by  the  hid- 
eous noise  and  yells  of  the  "medicine  men,"  she  had  not 
during  many  a  long  night  experienced  hitherto. 

After  twelve  days  of  patient  watching  and  care,  the 
chief  and  his  wife,  who  had  also  remained  with  them  thro 
the  whole  period,  returned  with  their  daughter  to  their 
own  lodge.  They  appeared  thoroly  convinced  that  the 
white  man's  knowledge  of  medicine  and  diseases  far 
exceeded  theirs,  and  many  times  thereafter  expressed 
the  conviction  that  they  had  been  the  means  of  saving 
their  daughter's  life. 

After  all  the  flattering  hopes  awakened  in  regard  to 
this  chief,  and  others,  an  evil  spirit  seemed  to  have  taken 
possession  of  him  at  the  last;  and  his  passionate,  fault- 
finding temper  became  the  occasion  of  many  petty  annoy- 
ances and  trials  to  the  missionaries  afterwards. 

"This  morning,"  writes  Mr.  Barnard,  "it  was  impress- 
ed upon  my  mind  that  I  should  need  special  grace  for  the 
day;  and  I  besought  the  Lord  to  give  me  strength  and 
wisdom  for  whatever  exigency  might  arise.  All  things 


IN  rUK  OJIBWAY  COUNTRY  89 


went  along  as  usual  until  about  ten  o'clock,  when  the  eld- 
est daughter  of  the  chief  came  to  beg  for  some  fish.  But 
as  such  requests  were  becoming  rather  too  frequent,  we 
decided  to  exact  some  simple  service  in  exchange,  as  we 
had  already  done  with  others.  At  this  her  pride  was 
touched ;  and  going  forth  in  a  rage  to  the  kitchen  where 
her  parents  were  awaiting  her,  she  wrathfully  informed 
them  of  what  had  occurred. 

"At  once  the  chief  flew  into  a  violent  passion,  and  pro- 
ceeding to  the  store  house,  where  Mr.  Spencer  was  tem- 
perarily  occupied,  arrogantly  demanded  the  same  thing 
from  him.  This  being  refused,  he  came  back,  and  with 
a  great  show  of  authority  ordered  me  to  give  his  daugh- 
ter what  she  had  asked  for.  Knowing  that  her  daughter's 
husband  was  lounging  idly  at  home,  I  explained  all  the 
circumstances  to  him,  and  remained  firm  in  my  refusal 
to  comply  with  his  demand.  He  then  reminded  me  that  I 
was  living  on  his  land,  etc. ;  and  going  out  again  in  a  great 
rage  to  Mr.  Spencer,  now  chopping  wood  near  by,  for- 
bade his  cutting  any  more  trees.  Spencer  kept  quietly  at 
his  work;  but  having  occasion  to  lay  down  his  ax,  the 
chief  hastily  seized  it  and  struck  it  fiercely  and  repeatedly 
into  the  frozen  ground;  after  which,  with  a  grim  smile, 
he  turned  and  walked  haughtily  away." 

In  the  evening  he  called  upon  Mr.  Barnard  and  request- 
ed an  interview.  The  two  men  then  sat  down  together 
upon  a  log  before  the  fire  and  quietly  reconsidered  the 
unhappy  events  of  the  day.  Very  faithfully  the  mission- 
ary pointed  out  to  the  now  thoroly  sobered  chieftain  his 
rudeness  and  folly ;  which  he  did  not  now  attempt  to  pal- 
liate or  deny. 

That  the  chief  received  but  small  sympathy  from  his 
people  became  evident  a  day  or  so  later,  when  a  number 
of  his  followers  called  and  made  particular  inquiries  with 
regard  to  the  "late  unpleasantness,"  and  expressed  great 


90  IN  THE  OJIBWAT  COUNTRY 

<urprise  and  regret  at  his  conduct. 

In  the  evening  one  of  the  oldest  men  of  the  tribe  came 
in  to  "visit"with  the  missionary,  and  after  talking  over 
various  matters  he  went  on  to  say,  "I  have  long  desired  to 
have  a  conference  with  you.  I  have  heard  many  evil  re- 
ports during  the  winter;  therefore  I  have  come  to  talk 
matters  over  with  you.  I  am  a  peaceable  old  man  who 
try  to  mind  my  own  business ;  but  I  am  accustomed  to 
think  a  great  deal.  From  my  youth  I  have  been  in  the 
habit  of  looking  back  over  my  past  life,  then  forward  to 
a  certain  point  whence  I  draw  my  conclusions."  He  then 
stated  many  things  to  convince  the  discouraged  mission- 
aries that  he  at  least  was  a  true  friend  of  the  Mission ; 
assuring  them  that  he  had  long  desired  to  see  "teachers" 
come  into  the  country,  and  that  however  long  they  might 
remain  they  would  never  find  him  speaking  disrespect- 
fully of  them  or  their  work. 

After  a  few  weeks  of  comparative  quiet,  another 
"storm  period"  ensued.  The  chief  strode  into  the  school 
room  one  day  carrying  a  bag  of  corn  which  he  wished  to 
get  ground.  As  it  was  during  school  hours,  and  the  mis- 
sionaries were  very  busy  with  other  duties  at  the  time, 
he  was  requested  to  leave  it  with  them  until  they  could 
more  conveniently  attend  to  it  for  him.  He  sat  gloomily 
in  the  room  during  the  greater  portion  of  the  afternoon, 
while  the  teachers  continued  their  work  in  the  school.  He 
returned  the  following  day,  just  as  the  school  had  been 
called — two  aged  men,  known  as  "Father  Sweet"  and 
"Uncle  David,"  being  also  present. 

The  chief  began  by  abruptly  inquiring  if  his  corn  had 
yet  been  ground.  Being  as  promptly  answered  in  the 
negative,  he  immediately  flew  into  a  furious  passion  and 
said  some  hard  things  in  the  presence  of  the  children  and 
of  the  two  aged  men.  The  missionary  replied  to  him 
kindly  but  firmly ;  and  asked  him  some  questions,  in 


IN  THE  OJIBWAY  COUNTRY  91 

answering  which  he  was  not  careful  to  adhere  to  the 
truth.  He  then  threatened  to  send  the  missionaries  all 
away  if  they  still  refused  to  grind  his  corn;  and  again 
ordered  them  to  do  so.  Being  again  refused,  a  panic 
seiezd  the  children  present  and  they  retreated  hastily 
thro  the  door ;  while  the  old  men  sat  still,  looking  on  in 
mute  astonishment  and  mortification.  Altho  the  abuse  and 
provocation  were  hard  to  endure,  Mr.  Barnard's  prayer 
for  the  needed  grace  was  answered  in  the  ability  afforded 
of  refraining  from  the  expresion  of  an  unkind  word  or 
the  manifestation  of  an  unkind  spirit  in  meeting  the  bit- 
ter aspersions  of  the  unhappy  chief. 

The  situation  now  appeared  serious  enough  for  the 
missionaries;  and  if  it  should  appear  that  the  chief  was 
likely  to  command  the  sympathies  of  his  people  in  the 
matter,  the  speedy  abandonment  of  the  mission  would  be 
the  only  possible  solution. 

After  a  sad  and  sleepless  night,  therefore,  their  droop- 
ing spirits  were  cheered  by  the  friendly  greeting  of  a 
number  of  the  men  who  came  in  early  to  express  their 
astonishment  and  grief  on  account  of  the  conduct  of 
the  chief.  One  of  them,  generally  regarded  as  the  chief's 
most  intimate  friend,  did  not  hesitate  to  declare  his  mind 
very  freely  in  regard  to  the  whole  matter.  He  assured  the 
missionaries  that  the  Indians  were  all  very  much  grieved 
at  the  brutal  treatment  they  had  received,  and  intimated 
that  there  would  be  a  change  in  the  chieftaincy  before 
very  long. 

That  these  expressions  were  genuine  and  really  rep- 
resented the  feelings  of  his  constitunts  was  made  very 
clear  some  days  later.  At  that  time  the  second  chief  hav- 
ing returned  from  a  hunting  expedition,  and  hearing  of 
what  had  occurred  during  his  absence,  called  a  council 
of  all  the  men  who  were  present  in  the  camp.  Then  tak- 
ing with  him  seven  of  the  most  influential  of  his  men,  he 


92  IN  THE  OJLBWAY  COUNTRY 

proceeded  to  the  house  of  the  assembled  missionaries  and 
addressed  them  in  substance  as  follows: 

"Teachers,  you  would  not  see  so  many  of  us  gathered 
here  for  naught.  We  have  come  to  express  our  feelings 
respecting  what  has  taken  place  recently.  We  are  very  un- 
happy to  learn  that  such  things  have  occurred.  I  wish  you 
to  listen,  not  to  one  man  only,  but  to  what  the  majority 
have  to  say.  We  greatly  love  you;  and  cannot  consent 
for  one  moment  that  you  should  leave  us.  You  feel  for 
us;  you  care  for  us  and  our  children.  I  speak  now  for 
myself;  I  love  you.  We  are  all  happy  to  look  out  and 
see  your  house  among  us,  and  hope  you  will  not  think  of 
leaving  it  deserted.  It  is  our  wish  that  the  smoke  of 
your  dwelling  may  continue  to  ascend  in  peace." 

Thus  cheered  by  the  peaceful  termination  of  a  threat- 
ened breach,  the  grateful  missionaries  "thanked  the  God 
of  Missions"  and  took  courage,  pursuing  more  smoothly 
the  even  tenor  of  their  way  thro  the  remaining  days  of  a 
long  and  weary  winter. 

At  the  close  of  their  first  year  of  labor  at  Cass  lake, 
it  was  deemed  wise  to  organize  a  mission  Church  at  this 
point  also.  The  organization  was  accordingly  affected  by 
the  senior  missionary,  Rev.  Ayer,  called  for  the  occasion 
from  the  central  station  at  Red  lake.  It  took  place  on  the 
last  day  of  February  (1847);  an^  was  followed  by  the 
ordination  of  Mr.  Barnard,  and  of  his  installation  over 
the  little  flock  as  its  pastor. 

In  recording  the  event,  he  writes,  "Today,  Brother 
Ayer  organized  our  little  'church  in  the  wilderness/  com- 
posed at  present  of  myself  and  wife  and  infant  daughter, 
and  Brother  Spencer.  A  precious  communion  season 
was  held  in  the  afternoon,  and  our  souls  were  greatly 
strengthened  and  refreshed  in  the  Lord.  O  that  God 
would  look  upon  us  in  our  weakness,  and  cause  this  little 
flock  of  His  to  grow  in  faith  and  numbers  until  multi- 


IN  THE  OJ1BWAY  COUNTRY  93 

tildes  of  these  poor  children  of  the  forest  shall  come  and 
i>it  down  with  us  around  the  table  of  our  blessed  Lord." 
During  the  summer  of  this  year  the  mission  was 
strengthened  and  the  hearts  of  the  lonely  missionary  band 
greatly  cheered  by  the  arrival  from  Oberlin,  of  Rev.  A. 
B.  Adams  and  wife  and  Miss  Cornelia  Leonard,  who  af- 
terwards became  the  wife  of  Mr.  Spencer, 


XVIII. 
LOOKING  HOMEWARD. 

After  five  long  years  of  seclusion  in  the  depths  of  the 
wilderness,  Mr.  Barnard  decided  to  make  a  trip  with  his 
family  back  to  his  eastern  home.  In  addition  to  the  antic- 
ipated pleasure  of  a  much-needed  rest  and  visit  with  long- 
separated  loved  ones,  his  chief  objects  were  to  arrange 
for  the  publication  of  an  Indian  text  book  adapted  for 
use  in  the  mission  schools,  and  to  secure  additional  funds 
and  laborers  for  their  growing  work. 

As  a  pleasant  prelude  to  their  prospective  journey  he 
was  requested  on  the  morning  of  their  departure  (May 
16,  1848)  to  unite  in  marriage  their  valued  co-laborers, 
Mr.  Spencer  and  Miss  Leonard,  who,  with  Mr.  Adams 
and  wife,  were  to  be  left  in  charge  of  the  Cass  lake  mis- 
sion during  their  absence  in  the  east. 

The  Indians  were  accordingly  called  together  to  wit- 


IN  THE  OJ1BWAY  COUNTRY  95 

ness  the  "white  man's  wedding," — the  first  doubtless, 
that  had  ever  occurred  on  the  shore  of  that  lovely  lake. 
The  spring  was  decked  in  her  loveliest  garb,  and  her  earli- 
est flowers  were  peeping  forth  to  greet  the  bride.  Gath- 
ered there  under  the  tall  pines  in  front  of  the  rude  log 
dwelling — the  bride  and  groom  attired  very  plainly,  at- 
tended by  their  associates,  and  surrounded  by  a  dusky 
background  of  curious  and  deeply  interested  spectators — 
the  scene  was  an  impressive  one.  Following  the  solemn 
words  that  made  the  contracting  parties  "husband  and 
wife,"  the  departing  misionary  delivered  to  all  alike  a 
tender  and  affectionate  farewell  address.  Then,  having 
taken  a  hasty  and  sorrowful  leave  of  the  rude  but  endear- 
ed scenes  and  faces,  they  turned  their  longing  gaze  to- 
ward the  still  dearer  home  land  in  the  distant  east. 

Besides  Mr.  Barnard,  his  wife  and  infant  daughter, 
the  company  included  an  esteemed  Indian  girl,  and  the 
boatman  who  had  been  engaged  to  convey  them  in  his 
canoe  as  far  as  Crow  Wing  on  the  Mississippi  river. 
Having  embarked  thereon,  in  their  little  birch  bark  canoe, 
they  encamped  at  the  close  of  the  first  day,  near  the  out- 
let of  lake  Winebegoshish,  on  the  spot,  occupied  as  a 
French  trading  post  many  years  before.  Here  they  tied 
up  their  frail  canoe  to  a  neighboring  tree  and  set  up  their 
tent  for  the  night.  Their  simple  meal  was  soon  pre- 
pared ;  and  after  it  had  been  partaken  of  in  wearied 
silence,  they  all  committed  themselves  to  the  care  of  Him 
"who  neither  slumbers  nor  sleeps,"  and  lay  down  to  rest 
amid  the  solemn  stillness  of  the  lonely  forest. 

Lonely  indeed  must  have  seemed  their  little  lodge  that 
night,  under  the  softly-murmuring  pines  and  close  beside 
the  noiseless  flow  of  the  "father  of  waters;" — their 
thoughts  wandering  back  to  the  friends  and  cares  so  re- 
cently left,  or  ranging  forth  along  the  mysterious  paths 
of  an  unknown  future,  little  suspecting  that  at  least  one 


96  IN  THE  OJIBWAY  COUNTRY 

of  their  little  company  was  going  forth  never  more  to 
return. 

In  order  that  we  of  a  later  generation  may  be  able  to 
form  some  idea  of  what  was  involved  in  a  journey  such 
as  theirs,  before  railroads  or  other  modern  appliances  had 
penetrated  these  then  remote  regions,  let  us  glean  some- 
what from  the  journal  of  those  early  missionary  "voy- 
.ageurs  :M 

Awakened  early  the  folowing  morning  amid  the  joy- 
ous greetings  of  numerous  forest  birds  and  committing 
themselves  to  the  care  of  their  kind  Protector,  they 
pushed  their  boat  into  the  current  and  were  soon  speed- 
ing merrily  on  their  way  down  stream.  Gradually  their 
haunting  cares  of  previous  days  began  to  fade  into  mem- 
ories of  departed  things;  while  the  "dim  old  pictures" 
of  home  and  dear  ones  still  so  far  away,  grew  ever  more 
distinct  and  real  with  every  dip  of  the  plashing  oar. 
Their  anxiety  to  realize  the  growing  vision  served  to 
lengthen  the  hours  of  the  long  spring  days.  The  weather 
was  waxing  warm  and  sultry;  the  mid-day  sun  blazed 
full  in  their  faces;  while  by  day  and  night  untiring 
swarms  of  mosquitoes  rested  never  from  their  monoto- 
nous appeals  and  persistent  assaults. 

Towards  evening  of  the  third  day  they  were  passing 
the  Pokegoma  falls — the  river  at  this  point  being  quite 
wide  and  the  curent  very  swift.  On  one  side  was  an  In- 
dian village;  on  the  other  the  dingy  tent  of  the  trader. 
While  the  little  party  were  rowing  quietly  along — listen- 
ing to  the  noisy  drum  of  the  "medicine  men,"  and  ob- 
serving the  natives  who  thronged  the  shore  to  gaze  at 
the  passing  strangers — they  were  suddenly  awakened 
from  their  enchantment  by  the  striking  of  their  canoe 
against  a  large  rock  concealed  in  the  middle  of  the 
stream. 

At  once  it  became  so  securely  fastened  in  a  crevice  of 


St.  Louis  River 


IN  THK  OJIBWAY  COUNTKY  97 


the  rock  that  the  men  were  unable  to  extricate  it.  Mean- 
while the  swift  current  whirled  them  around — imper- 
illing the  boat  and  the  lives  of  its  inmates.  The  savages 
along  the  shore,  perceiving  their  danger,  set  up  a  wild 
shout  and  sent  out  a  couple  of  canoes — not  to  relieve  the 
endangered  voyagers,  but  simply  "to  see  the  fun."  At 
the  same  time  the  selfish  trader  stood  idly  beside  his  tent 
on  the  opposite  shore,  languidly  surveying  the  scene,  and 
smoking  his  "pipe  of  peace,"  sublimely  indifferent  to  the 
danger  and  alarm  of  the  helpless  women  and  innocent 
babe. 

Every  moment  the  rock-bound  mariners  were  expect- 
ing the  canoe  to  fill  with  water  and  leave  them  struggling 
in  the  midst  of  the  stream.  But  leaping  out  upon  the 
rock,  the  men  at  length  succeeded  in  prying  the  boat 
from  its  perilous  mooring;  after  which,  dexterously  leap- 
ing back  in  as  it  swept  away,  they  were  once  more  glid- 
ing down  amid  the  rippling  waves.  To  their  great  sur- 
prise and  joy  it  was  found  that  the  boat  had  received  no 
serious  injury,  and  the  happy  party  proceeded  on  their 
way,  devoutly  thankful  for  their  merciful  deliverance 
from  threatened  death. 

They  toiled  hard  all  the  next  day  in  order  to  reach  the 
Methodist  mission  at  Sandy  lake ;  but  a  heavy  rain  storm 
hindered  their  progress,  and  compelled  them  to  make 
their  camp  in  a  dreary  spot  midway.  Stretching  their 
weary  limbs  upon  a  damp  bed  of  rushes  and  twigs,  and 
tormented  the  long  night  thro  by  the  ever-present  mos- 
quitoes, the  comfortless  party  lay  and  "waited  for  the 
dawn." 

Arising  the  next  morning  stiff  and  sore  from  the  toil 
and  exposure    of  the    previous    day — and    night — they 
wearily  resumed  their  journey,  and  reached  Sandy  lake  '-"'' 
shortly  before  noon.     Here  the  tired  pilgrims  were  re- 
received  with  truly  Christian  sympathy  and  kindness  by 


98  IN  THE  OJIBWAY  COUNTRY 

the  missionaries  in  charge,  the  Rev.  Samuel  Spates  and 
his  devoted  wife. 

It  was  here,  also,  that  they  first  met  the  interpreter, 
James  Tanner,  who  was  afterward  associated  with 
Messrs.  Adams  and  Spencer,  and  wives,  in  their  new 
mission  at  lake  Winnebegoshish ;  and  who  some  years 
later  inaugurated  the  first  Baptist  mission  on  Dakota 
soil.  He  is  thus  referred  to  by  Mr.  Barnard  in  his  jour- 
nal: 

"I  was  here  introduced  to  the  interpreter,  James  Tan- 
ner, a  half-breed,  whose  father  was  stolen  in  childhood 
from  his  home  in  Kentucky  by  a  band  of  Shawnee  In- 
dians under  Tecumseh.  Afterward  adopted  by  the  tribe, 
his  life  was  spent  among  the  Indians;  and  he  became 
famous  throughout  the  northwest  as  a  hunter  and  scout. 
His  youngest  son,  James,  was  converted  at  the  Anse  Mis- 
sion about  a  year  ago;  and  has  since  then  devoted  himself 
to  the  work  of  a  misionary  among  his  own  people  in  his 
position  as  interpreter  here.  His  wife,  also,  appears  very 
devoted  and  actively  engaged  in  the  work  with  her  hus- 
band." 


XIX 
A  WEARISOME  JOURNEY  ENDED. 

When  the  missionaries  arived  at  Crow  Wing  they  had 
to  part  with  their  Indian  boatman — and  also  his  boat. 
Unprovided  with  "through  tickets"  for  their  eastern  trip, 
and  set  ashore  midway,  they  were  now  in  a  state  of  sad 
perplexity  in  regard  to  the  means  wherewith  to  continue 
their  journey.  The  weather,  moreover,  was  sultry  and 
threatening;  while  various  rumors  of  the  proximity  of 
the  unfriendly  Sioux,  filled  them  with  alarm  for  the  safe- 
ty of  themselves,  and  especially  of  their  Indian  girl  who 
belonged  to  an  alien  tribe. 

For  a  time  their  faith  was  sorely  tried;  but  after  much 
prayer  and  some  patient  waiting,  their  way  was  very 
providentially  opened  by  the  unexpected,  but  timely  ar- 
rival of  a  generous  and  influential  friend,  the  Hon.  H.  N. 
Rice.  He  was  in  the  country  at  the  time  as  U.  S.  Com- 


100  IN  THE  O.JIBVVAY  COUNTRY 

missioner  for  the  Winnebago  Indians,  who  were  about 
to  be  transferred  to  their  new  reservation  in  Minnesota. 
Having  explored  the  country  and  located  some  govern- 
ment farmers  and  other  artisans,  he  and  his  party  were 
now  on  their  way  back  to  St.  Paul,  and  kindly  offered  to 
provide  room  for  the  missionary  and  his  family  in  one 
of  his  comfortable  canoes.  This  unlooked-for  opportun- 
ity they  very  devoutly  and  properly  regarded  as  a  direct 
answer  to  their  prayers,  and  the  following  morning  found 
them  ready  to  embark  with  their  newly-found  friends. 

The  previous  night,  however,  proved  to  be  a  memor- 
able one  for  the  little  company  of  tent-dwellers,  and  their 
frail  structure  was  threatened  with  immediate  destruc- 
tion by  the  sudden  approach  of  a  most  terrific  thunder 
storm.  Amid  the  bewildering  rush  of  wind  and  flood, 
accompanied  by  the  roar  of  thunder  and  the  constant 
flashing  of  the  lightning,  the  awakened  missionary  sprang 
forth — all  untoileted  and  undisguised — to  strengthen  the 
stakes  of  the  already  dissolving  tabernacle.  Altho  nearly 
stunned  by  a  bolt  which  struck  in  the  forest  close  by,  no 
one  was  injured ;  and  this  midnight  display  of  elemental 
strife  was — like  many  another  previously  experienced — 
safely  weathered  by  the  storm-beaten  mariners. 

The  rising  sun  beamed  tranquilly  after  the  storm  upon 
the  entire  party  as  they  cheerily  plowed  their  way  down 
the  river.  Their  good  friend  having  men  enough  to  row 
his  two  canoes,  and  also  one  for  the  missionaries,  the 
little  careworn  party  could  now  quietly  rest,  regaled  by 
the  fragrant  air,  the  melodious  songs  of  birds,  and  the 
lovely  panorama  of  beautiful  and  ever-changing  scenery 
displayed  on  the  upper  Mississippi.  All  day  long  their 
vessels  out-ran  the  current ;  and  at  sunset  they  reached 
their  camping-place  at  Little  Rock — "filled  with  praise  to 
God  for  all  His  goodness,  and  realizing  more  than  ever 
before  that  'all  things  work  together  for  good  to  them 
that  love  Him.' " 


IN  THB  OJ1BWAT  COUNTRY  101 

A  day  or  so  later,  whilst  gliding  pleasantly  down 
stream,  the  sun  just  sinking  in  the  west,  a  beautiful  fawn 
was  seen  coming  out  of  the  forest  and  amusing  herself  at 
ihe  water's  edge  only  a  short  distance  away — alternately 
drinking  and  feeding,  peeing  the  boats  approaching,  but 
suspecting  no  danger.  When  Mr.  Rice's  boat  came  up 
within  a  few  rods  of  her,  he  leveled  his  gun  and  fired. 
When  shot  the  poor  creature  bounded  several  feet  into 
the  air  and  fell  back  again  into  the  water.  While  strug- 
gling there  another  shot  was  fired  at  her  by  one  of  the 
boatmen ;  but  she  soon  regained  the  bank ;  and  altho 
weakened  from  loss  of  blood,  she  quickly  disappeared  in 
the  forest.  All  hands  then  went  ashore  to  search  for  her ; 
but  to  their  great  disappointment  and  chagrin,  the  hungry 
travelers  failed  to  feast  on  venison  that  night. 

The  falls  of  St.  Anthony  were  reached  on  the  morning 
of  June  1st — two  weeks  from  the  date  of  their  setting  out 
from  Cass  lake.  At  this  point  their  canoes  and  baggage 
were  carried  around  the  "rapids,"  and  the  run  to  St. 
Peter  (Fort  Snelling)  was  quickly  and  easily  made. 
Parting  at  this  point  with  the  boatmen  and  their  canoes, 
they  set  up  their  tents  on  the  shore  to  await  the  arrival 
of  a  more  staunch  and  modern  craft  to  carry  them  for- 
ward to  Galena. 

The  following  sun-rise  greeted  a  happy  company 
steaming  gaily  down  the  larger  Mississippi,  as  rich  in 
scenic  beauty  as  the  Hudson  or  historic  Rhine.  Entering 
the  beautiful  lake  Pepin,  where  the  river  expands  into  a 
broad  smooth  sheet  of  water,  they  beheld  the  bark  huts 
of  a  lingering  band  of  Sioux  Indians  along  its  western 
shore.  At  the  mouth  of  Black  river,  which  was  reached 
in  the  afternoon,  they  found  the  banks  lined  with  Win- 
nibago  Indians,  who  were  engaged  in  the  performance 
of  "peace,"  or  farewell,  dance  while  waiting  to  be  trans- 
ferred to  their  new  hunting  grounds  farther  north. 


102  IN  THE  OJIBWAY  COUNTRY 

Here  the  misionaries  parted  very  reluctantly  with 
their  generous  friend,  Mr.  Rice;  "and"  adds  Mr.  Barn- 
ard, "I  cannot  but  record  my  sincere  attachment  for  him. 
I  think  I  never  met  any  one,  making  no  pretension  of 
being  a  Christian,  who  has  so  won  my  affection  as  this 
man.  .  .  His  urbanity  and  freedom  from  affectation 
in  his  intercourse  with  strangers  and  employees — in  fact, 
his  whole  deportment  shows  him  to  be  a  true  gentleman 
and  philanthropist;  and  I  cannot  but  hops  and  pray  that 
he  may  yet  become  a  subject  of  divine  grace." 

Passing  the  historic  Prairie  du  Chien  at  night,  the  ves- 
sel entered  the  Fever  river  and  arrived  at  Galena  on  Sat- 
urday at  noon.  Here  the  returning  missionaries  were 
met  by  kind  friends,  and  shared  their  Christian  hospital- 
ity during  the  ensuing  Sabbath. 

Three  o'clock  Monday  morning  found  them  facing  the 
dawn  and  already  well  on  their  way  to  the  aspiring  young 
city  of  Chicago.  Thither,  after  some  mishaps  and  forty- 
four  weary  hours  of  incessant  travel — "packed  like  sar- 
dines in  an  old  stage  coach — they  arrived,  forlorn  and 
crumpled,  late  on  Tuesday  night.  From  Chicago  by 
lake  steamer  to  Cleveland;  whence  a  few  hours'  ride  by 
stage  brought  them  to  Elyria  and  to  their  father's  house 
in  peace.  Their  coming  had  not  been  announced,  and 
was  accordingly  entirely  unexpected ;  and  the  aged  father 
on  seeing  his  long-absent  children  once  more,  was  for  a 
time  almost  speechless.  "Never,"  observes  his  son,  "shall 
I  forget  that  scene — it  cannot  be  described  in  words." 


XX. 

AMONG  FAMILIAR  SCENES. 

Like  a  longed-for  rest  among  "the  palm  trees  and  foun- 
tains of  Elim,"  was  Barnard's  first  Sabbath  at  "old  Ober- 
lin"  among  the  remaining  friends  and  instructors  of  his 
college  days.  At  the  prayer-meeting  in  the  evening — the 
first  during  five  eventful  years  that  he  had  been  privi- 
leged to  attend  in  a  Christian  land — his  soul  was  greatly 
refreshed  by  the  sense  of  the  Divine  presence,  where  the 
well  known  place  of  prayer  and  the  occasion  Itself  served 
to  call  up  many  a  sacred  and  precious  vision  from  the 
slumbering  memories  of  the  pdst. 

He  set  out  for  Cleveland  some  weeks  later,  intending 
to  undertake  a  missionary  campaign  in  his  native  New 
England  in  the  hope  of  awakening  interest  there  also  in 
the  work  of  his  Society  among  the  Minnesota  Indians. 
And  the  following  brief  itinerary  of  an  old-time  journey 


104  IN  THE  OJIBWAY  COUNTRY 

from  western  Ohio  to  New  England,  may  be  of  interest 
to  our  present-day  pilgrims  unaccustomed  to  making  such 
journeys  by  piece-meal: 

"Took  the  steamer  for  Buffalo  at  8:30  a.  m.,  and  the 
cars  for  Niagara  falls  at  10:30;  crossed  over  the 
suspension  bridge,  and  boarded  the  cars  again  for  Lewis- 
ton.  Took  the  steamer  on  lake  Ontario  for  Oswego  next 
day  at  4  :oo  a.  m. ;  transferred  to  the  plank  road  stage 
for  Rome  at  6:30 — fifty  passengers  filling  the  four  coach- 
es available.  Took  the  cars  again  at  Rome  for  Troy ;  and 
thence  by  stage  across  the  Green  mountains" — reaching 
Peru  (his  early  home)  in  eight  or  nine  days  after  leaving 
Cleveland,  and  accomplishing  a  half-dozen  transfers  by 
steamboat,  plank  road,  rail  car  and  stage ! 

Having  arrived  at  his  old  home  in  the  Green  mountain 
state,  after  an  absence  of  fifteen  crowded  years,  his  jour- 
nal touchingly  portrays  the  very  human  interest  with 
which  he  surveyed  the  familiar  scenes  and  haunts  of  his 
boyhood  days : 

"Can  I,"  he  says,  "believe  my  own  eyes ;  is  this  indeed 
my  own  loved  native  land?  Often  have  I  been  here  be- 
fore in  my  dreams;  but  now  at  last  I  am  permitted  to 
view  it  once  more  with  my  natural  vision.  O  Memory, 
how  sweet  thou  art ;  and  yet  what  shadows  thou  bringest 
to  my  heart  at  times.  These  hills,  these  vales — the 
woodlands  and  meadows,  the  orchard  and  familiar  dwell- 
ings— how  well  remembered  are  all  these  still,  tho  many 
eventful  years  have  rolled  by  since  I  beheld  them  last. 
The  little  rivulets  and  the  rushing  torrents  remind  me,  ah, 
how  vividly,  of  my  childhood  days ;  when  I  used  to  wan- 
der over  these  beautiful  hills,  and  with  my  hook  and  line 
follow  up  and  down  their  winding  channels. 

"The  view  of  my  father's  farm — the  old  home,  and 
everything  about  it — brings  to  me  sober  thoughts  of  by- 
gone years.  Once  I  sported  over  these  hills  and  played 


IN  THB  OJIBWAY  COUNTRY  105 

in  the  yard  upon  the  fresh  green  grass,  a  careless  child 
attended  by  the  ever-watchful  eye  of  a  tender  and  affec- 
tionate mother.  But  now,  how  changed  the  scene.  Thir- 
teen long  years  have  hardened  the  clods  that  cover  her 
precious  remains — tho  they  have  not  dulled  the  affection 
in  which  her  memonry  is  still  embalmed,  how  vividly  the 
days  of  her  loving  presence  reappear  as  I  enter  the  little 
chamber,  where  I  have  so  often  seen  her  agonizing  in 
prayer  for  her  wayward  boy,  as  she  lay  languishing  on 
a  bed  of  sickness  and  pain." 

Here  he  taried  over  the  Sabbath,  meeting  old  friends 
and  neighbors  of  his  parents,  and  preaching  and  partici- 
pating in  a  solemn  sacramental  service,  during  which 
both  speaker  and  hearers  were  "bathed  in  tears"  amid 
the  sorrowful  memories  of  by-gone  years. 

His  time  while  in  New  England  was  fully  occupied — 
preaching  on  an  average  three  or  four  times  every  Sab- 
bath, and  earnestly  presenting  the  important  interests  of 
his  beloved  mission.  The  autumn  and  ensuing  winter 
were  spent  in  the  vicinity  of  Oberlin,  among  the  various 
churches  and  Sabbath  schools,  and  in  personally  super- 
intending the  publication  of  his  Indian  text  book. 

During  the  stay  of  the  Barnards  in  Ohio,  a  sad  loss 
befell  them,  occasioned  by  the  untimely  death  of  their 
adopted  Indian  girl,  to  whom  they  had  become  deeply  at- 
tached, and  who  had  already  developed  into  a  lovely 
chiistian  character. 

A  full  year  having  sped  rapidly  by,  the  opening  days 
of  June  (1849)  saw  the  Barnards — accompanied  by  Rev. 
Fisher  and  wife,  Mr.  Francis  Specs  and  the  Rev.  Mr. 
F»ardwell,  secretary  of  the  missionary  Society — again  on 
their  way  back  to  the  distant  wilderness.  They  reached 
Chicago  on  the  6th  at  midnight — "just  one  year  to  the 
hour,"  observes  Mr.  Barnard,  "from  the  date  of  our 
arrival  at  the  Sherman  house  on  our  way  down."  "But," 


106  IN  THE  OJ1BWAY  COUNTRY 

he  adds,  "how  changed  the  situation  now.  Little  did  we 
think  that  our  dear  Indian  sister — whose  name  I  that 
night  registered  for  the  first  time,  'Hannah  More,' — 
would  be  called  away  to  meet  her  Savior  before  our  re- 
turn. May  we  have  grace  to  meet  her  poor  parents ;  and 
nothing  daunted,  enter  upon  our  labors  among  her  yet 
benighted  kindred  and  people,  from  whom  she  has  been 
carried  to  the  skies — a  trophy  of  redeeming  love." 

The  party  having  set  forward  the  following  morning 
on  the  cars,  which  conveyed  them  only  ten  miles  on  their 
westward  way,  they  continued  their  journey  thence  by 
stage.  There  were  eight  persons  in  the  party,  which  filled 
one  coach  completely,  while  the  baggage  had  to  be  left 
behind  until  the  following  day.  They  found  the  weather 
ver>  warm  and  sultry,  and  the  roads  were  exceedingly 
bad.  Three  times  the  coach  stuck  fast  in  the  mud,  and 
the  male  occupants  were  required  to  "lend  a  hand"  at 
the  ghastly  wheels. 

All  the  following  night  they  rode  in  an  old  lumber 
wagon  over  the  roads  almost  impassible,  which  made 
the  trip  a  hard  one  indeed  for  the  weary  women  and 
children.  At  one  time  they  were  turned  over  in  a  narrow 
coach;  but  fortunately  no  bones  were  broken,  and  there 
was  no  need  to  lay  up  for  repairs. 

At  Galena,  on  the  borders  of  the  wilderness,  the 
bruised  and  way-worn  pilgrims  rejoiced  to  find  once 
more  their  "Elim  shade"  and  refreshing  Sabbath  rest; 
and  on  the  morrow  boarded  the  steamboat  for  St.  Paul. 
With  them  also  went  a  mixed  multitude  of  other  passen- 
gers, a  lot  of  miscellaneous  freight,  and  a  herd  of  thirty 
odd  horses  and  cattle  on  the  deck.  Moreover,  on  the 
nevt  day  the  vessel  stopped  to  pick  up  some  straggling 
\\  int?ebago  Indians  to  join  their  tribe  recently  removed 
t«:  Minnesota. 

The  trip  up  the  river  was  not  without  a  variety  of  mis»- 


IN  THK  OJIBWAY  COUNTRY  107 

haps,  as  well  as  serious  loss  to  a  portion  of  the  passen- 
gers— an  ox  and  horse  falling  overboard,  while  a  little 
Ii  dian  boy  sorely  bewailed  the  loss  of  his  valuable  dog. 
However,  at  the  end  of  a  three  days'  cruise,  the  survivors 
ci  the  expedition  were  safely  landed  at  the  motley  little 
v  ;.ge  of  St.  Paul. 

Glad  to  set  foot  once  more  on  terra  firma,  the  mis- 
sionaries hastily  pitched  their  tent  "in  a  grove  a  little 
way  out  of  the  village ;"  where,  owing  to  the  rise  of  water 
in  The  streams  flowing  across  their  contemplated  route, 
they  deemed  it  prudent  to  remain  for  a  few  days,  incluu- 
ing  the  Sabbath. 

Referring  to  their  brief  stay  in  St.  Paul — a  village  :-t 
the  time  of  less  than  800  souls — the  simple  journal  of 
th<>o  missionary  pioneers  contains  no  suggestion  of  the 
proud  future  awaiting  the  infant  emporium  of  the  great 
northwest  as  we  know  it  today;  while  the  queenly  city  of 
t^e  "laughing  water,"  cradled  afterward  at  its  side,  was 
yet  wholly  nameless  and  unknown. 

Avoiding  during  their  temporary  stay  the  rough 
crowds  thronging  the  street  of  the  busy  little  frontier 
town,  the  weary  party  rested  in  their  tents  during  the 
Sabbath  day — their  thoughts  alternating  meanwhile,  be- 
tween the  loved  ones  back  in  the  dear  home  land,  m<l 
the  work  awaiting  them  amid  the  lonely  pines  bordering 
the  northern  lakes. 


XXI. 

BACK  TO  THE  WILDERNESS. 

With  Monday's  rising  sun  the  pilgrims  were  on  their 
journey  northward,  having  hired  a  couple  of  men  with 
tVr  teams  to  convey  them  as  far  as  to  Crow  Wing  on 
the  upper  Mississippi.  The  persons  were  carried  in  a 
two- horse  spring  wagon,  followed  by  a  lumber  wagon 
containing  the  baggage  and  supplies  for  the  journey. 

Driving  merrily  past  the  swift  current  of  the  St.  An- 
thony falls — the  water  tumbling  and  dashing  over  the 
rocks  on  that  bright  June  morning — how  little  the  pass- 
ing travelers  suspected  the  mighty  industrial  changes  des- 
tinec  to  transpire  along  the  banks  of  that  same  stream: 
when  the  wild  rushing  waters  would  be  tamed  and  har- 
nessed to  ponderous  machinery  for  grinding  the  food 
supply  of  the  world. 

The  pleasure  of  the  northward  journey  in  mid-June 


110  IN  THK  OJIBWAY  COUNTRY 

was  net  a  little  marred  at  the  outset  by  the  excessive  hear, 
aggravated  by  clouds  of  mosquitoes  and  the  bad  condi- 
tion of  the  roads.  These  running  wildly  thro  the  forest, 
were  inundated  at  frequent  intervals  by  floods  resulting 
from  the  melting  snows,  farther  north  and  the  recent 
heavy  showers. 

On  the  third  day  after  their  departure,  having  crossed 
the  Little  Rock  river  in  safety  on  a  raft,  one  of  the  party, 
Mrs.  Fisher,  was  taken  suddenly  ill  with  alarming  symp- 
toms of  cholera,  prevalent  at  the  time  on  the  Ohio  and 
Mississippi  rivers. 

The  driver  informed  them  of  a  small  log  hut  some 
miles  further  on ;  and  they  determined  to  reach  it  if  pos- 
sible, altho  in  the  face  of  a  swiftly  approaching  storm. 
But  the  team  becoming  mired  in  the  deep  mud,  an  unavoid- 
able delay  was  caused ;  and  a  situation  ensued  which  the 
rain,  now  descending  in  torrents,  was  not  well  calculated 
to  relieve.  But  on  they  went,  floundering  thro  the  mud 
and  blinding  storm,  across  a  wide-stretching  plain  and 
thoroughly  drenched  by  the  descending  flood,  until  the 
desired  haven  was  reached — in  safety  if  not  in  unruffled 
peace. 

It  was  a  most  lonely  spot  indeed,  situated  at  the  foot 
of  a  hill  on  the  edge  of  a  tamarack  swamp.  Into  this  dis- 
mal abode  the  sick  woman  was  hastily  carried,  and  left 
in  the  care  of  her  well-nigh  distracted  husband;  while 
the  others  set  up  their  tents,  prepared  their  meals,  and 
sought  to  dispose  themselves  in  a  tolerable  fashion  for 
the  night. 

It  was,  however,  a  still  more  difficult  proposition  that 
confronted  the  unhappy  occupants  of  the  little  hut,  who 
soon  found  themselves  most  mercilessly  assailed  by 
swarms  of  voracious  mosquitoes.  Pouring  in  thro  the 
cracks,  and  swooping  down  from  their  crowded  perches 
in  the  roof,  they  danced  and  sang  exultingly  around  their 


IN  THE  OJIBWAY  COUNTRY  111 

helpless  victims,  like  a  troop  of  canibals  summoned  to 
a  barbarous  feast.  A  "smudge"  was  finally  started;  but 
while  it  appeared  to  interfere  with  "the  dance  of  the 
brownies,"  it  scarcely  served  to  mitigate  the  distress  of 
the  poor  sufferer  now  well-nigh  suffocated  by  the  rising 
volume  of  smoke. 

The  following  morning  the  rain  had  ceased,  but  the  pa- 
tient was  no  better;  and  to  add  to  the  party's  present 
discomfiture,  the  men  reported  that  the  horses  could  not 
be  found.  It  was  feared  that  the  Winnebago  Indians — 
a  band  of  whom  had  been  seen  hanging  around  the  prev- 
ious evening — had  run  them  off  during  the  night.  In- 
deed one  of  the  men  was  quite  positive  that  he  had  dis- 
covered the  trail,  where  to  all  appearance  they  had  been 
driven  away.  It  was  with  no  little  anxiety,  therefore,  that 
the  distressed  travelers  awaited  the  result  of  a  more 
thorough  search  for  the  missing  animals,  upon  whose 
recovery  so  much  appeared  to  depend.  And  when  at 
last  the  men  were  seen  emerging  from  the  forest,  proudly 
leading  the  recovered  wanderers  back  into  camp,  the  joy 
of  all  can  easily  be  imagined. 

They  were  soon  ready  to  resume  their  journey — all 
except  the  poor  sick  woman ;  but  inasmuch  as  she  de- 
spaired of  geting  any  better  in  a  place  so  wretched  and 
lonely,  they  decided  to  set  forward,  taking  their  patient 
with  them,  and  making  her  as  comfortable  as  the  circum- 
stances would  allow. 

A  day  or  so  later  they  arrived  at  Belle  Prairie,  some 
fifteen  miles  from  Crow  Wing,  where  the  Ayers,  having 
recently  removed  from  Red  lake,  were  fitting  up  a  dwell- 
ing and  boarding  school  for  the  children  of  the  natives 
and  incoming  settlers.  At  this  point  they  deemed  it  nec- 
essary to  leave  Mrs.  Fisher  and  her  husband  until  return- 
ing health  would  permit  her  to  complete  the  journey. 

At  Crow  Wing  the  remaining  members  of  the  com- 


112  IN  THE  OJIBWAY  COUNTRY 

pany  exchanged  the  tiresome  wagons  for  canoes,  by 
means  of  which  they  continued  their  journey  up  the 
Mississippi  to  Cass  lake.  There  at  length  they  were 
greeted  with  undisguised  joy  and  gladness  by  the  little 
band  left  in  charge  of  the  Mission,  who  had  long  and 
patiently  awaited  the  arrival  of  the  absentees. 

The  first  Sabbath  following  their  return  to  the  scene 
of  their  former  labors,  Mr.  Barnard  called  the  Indians 
together,  and  out  of  a  full  heart — saddened  by  the  loss  of 
one  of  their  number  in  the  east — addressed  them  from 
the  third  chapter  of  the  gospel  of  St.  John.  Earnestly 
he  sought  to  enforce  upon  their  consciences  the  necessity 
of  being  born  "from  above;"  and  with  more  than  his 
wonted  tenderness  told  them  of  the  Father's  compassion- 
ate love  and  pity  for  all  mankind.  And  as  those  dusky 
children  of  the  forest  sat  listening  to  the  gracious  mes- 
sages of  the  gospel,  the  faithful  missionary  was  led  to 
feel  that  they  had  never  appeared  "so  attentive  to  the 
gospel  before." 

The  Sabbath  which  fell  on  the  fourteenth  of  August, 
is  described  as  a  memorable  one ;  as  then  the  missionaries 
were  privileged  to  receive  into  their  Christian  fellowship 
a  native  convert,  by  baptism  and  the  public  profession  of 
his  faith,  in  connection  with  the  administration  of  the 
Lord's  supper. 

The  names  of  the  newly-arrived  missionaries  were  also 
added  to  the  roll  of  communicants ;  and  at  the  same  time 
Revs.  Adams,  Spencer,  and  their  wives,  were  dismissed 
in  the  prospect  of  their  forming  a  new  station  at  lake 
Winnebegoshish  in  the  near  future.  They  were  to  be  ac- 
companied by  the  interpreter  Tanner  and  his  wife  who  had 
recently  came  to  Cass  lake;  while  the  Barnards,  assisted 
by  the  Fishers,  were  to  continue  in  charge  of  the  mission 
at  Cass  lake. 

One  day,  some  weeks  later,  a  little  Indian  boy  came 


IN  THE  OJIBWAY  COUNTRY  113 

running  into  the  house  while  the  missionaries  were  at 
their  dinner,  excitedly  exclaiming  that  "a  big  canoe"  was 
coming  up  the  lake.  All  immediately  hastened  forth  to 
greet  the  incoming  strangers,  when  to  their  great  joy,  as 
they  drew  near  to  the  shore,  they  recognized  the  sun- 
browned  faces  of  their  late  deserted  friends,  the  Fishers. 
Hardly  waiting  for  them  to  land  they  made  haste  to  bid 
them  welcome — to  their  hearts  and  humble  home,  as  well 
as  to  a  share  in  their  abundant  toils  in  their  Master's 
ripening  vineyard. 


XXII. 
DISPERSION  OF  THE  "OBERLIN  BAND." 

The  work  as  already  in  part  described  at  Red,  Cass, 
and  the  neighboring  lakes,  was  maintained  with  varying 
degrees  of  success  for  some  years  longer;  until,  in  1857, 
the  society  under  whose  auspices  the  missionaries  had 
labored  discontinued  its  work.  They  then  went  different 
ways :  some  into  the  Government  schools ;  and  some  into 
other  mission  fields,  both  north  and  south. 

The  labors  of  this  "Oberlin  band"  among  the  lakes 
and  forests  of  northern  Minnesota  during  those  earlier 
years  have  been  thus  summarized  by  one  of  its  oldest  and 
most  faithful  workers,  Rev.  S.  G.  Wright: 

The  Mission  was  first  located  at  Red  lake  in  the 
autumn  or  early  winter  of  1842  by  the  Rev.  Frederick 


IN  THE  OJ1BWAY  COUNTRY  115 

Ayer  and  Mr.  D.  B.  Spencer.     The  other  laborers — all 

of  Oberlin  college — were  as  follows: 

From  1843,  RCV-  Alonzo  Barnard  and  wife 10  Yrs. 

"        "       Dr.  Wm.  Lewis  and  wife 10    " 

"       Mr.  P.  O.  Johnston  and  wife 10    " 

"      Rev.  Sela  G.  Wright 40    " 

"      1844,  Mr.  O.  A.  Coe  and  wife 22     " 

"      Mrs.  S.  G.  Wright 5    " 

"      1846,  Rev.  A.  B.  Adams  and  wife 6     " 

"       Mrs.  D.  B.  Spencer 7    " 

1849,  Mr.  J.  S.  Fisher  and  wife 10     " 

"       Mr.  Francis  F.  Specs 12    " 

"      1851,  Mr.   Laferty 11     " 

"      1852,  Mr.  Carver 7    " 

— Twenty-one  workers  in  all — including  Rev.  Ayer  and 
wife  and  Mr.  Spencer,  the  founders  of  the  Mission — 
went  forth  at  different  times  and  for  varying  periods  of 
service  to  supply  the  mission  at  Red  lake  and  the  neigh- 
boring regions,  during  the  ten  years  extending  from  1842 
to  1852 ; — all  of  whom  received  their  preparation  and  mis- 
sionary impulse  within  the  walls  of  their  alma  mater. 

The  periods  of  labor  performed  by  this  pioneer  band 
amounted  to  an  aggregate  of  more  than  two  hundred 
years.  Yet  not  one  of  the  entire  number  received  any 
salary.  They  received  clothing  and  such  implements  as 
were  necessary  for  the  cultivation  of  the  soil ;  but  they 
built  their  own  houses  in  the  forest,  and  raised  all  their 
own  food — much  of  which  they  shared  with  their  Indian 
neighbors. 

And  what  were  the  results?  First  of  all,  perhaps,  was 
the  removal  of  a  vast  amount  of  prejudice  from  the 
minds  of  the  natives  in  regard  to  the  whites.  Thus  from 
their  corrupting  associations  with  ungodly  traders  and 
hunters  they  had  received  the  impression  that  all  white 
people  are  bad — all  liars  and  dishonest.  But  from  long 


116  IN  THE  OJIBWAY  COUNTRY 

and  close  association  with  these  who  had  come  seeking,  at 
great  toil  and  sacrifice,  only  to  do  them  good,  they  had 
come  to  think  far  otherwise.  And  thus  the  chief  hin- 
drance to  their  successful  evangelization  was  removed. 

Another  result  was  that  they  all  learned  to  work  in  the 
field ;  and  thus  their  respect  for  honest  toil,  so  essential 
to  the  development  and  independence  of  any  race,  was 
permanently  instilled.  Their  respect  for  women  was  also 
accordingly  raised.  They  changed  their  mode  of  dress, 
and  adopted  many  of  the  habits  of  civilized  life — not  ex- 
cepting, it  must  be  confessed,  some  of  the  vices  as  well. 

But  best  of  all,  and  this  was  the  object  the  missionaries 
ever  had  upermost  in  their  minds,  the  people  to  whom 
they  ministered  were  made  familiar  with  the  gospel — 
both  by  precept  and  example.  Moreover  the  preaching 
of  this  gospel  resulted  in  the  conversion  of  considerable 
numbers  of  various  stations — in  transformed  lives,  and 
in  the  promise  of  still  larger  results  in  the  after  years. 
Among  the  converts  there  were  in  some  cases  quite  as 
remarkable  developments  of  Christian  character  as  could 
anywhere  be  found.  Indeed  a  brief  account  of  the  truly 
Christian  lives  and  triumphant  deaths  of  these  new  con- 
verts from  paganism,  would  make  a  volume  of  wonder- 
ful interest  to  the  devout  student  of  Missions. 

From  the  very  first  the  misionaries  were  very  careful 
whom  they  would  receive  as  candidates  for  baptism.  All 
were  carefully  instructed  in  regard  to  the  nature  and  obli- 
gation of  the  ordinance.  No  attempt  was  at  first  made 
to  baptize  and  gather  into  church  relations;  the  whole 
burden  being  to  preach  "Christ  and  Him  crucified,"  as 
the  only  ground  of  salvation  to  those  who  believe. 

Thus  the  voluntary  labors  of  these  early  missionary 
pioneers  explains  the  fact  that  when  some  years  later, 
Bishop  Whipple  of  the  Episcopal  church  took  up  the 
work  among  them,  he  found  a  people  already  prepared 


IN  THB  OJIBWAY  COUNTRY  117 

for  baptism;  and  large  numbers  were  thereby  speedily 
gathered  into  the  fold.  The  work  among  the  Ojibways 
who  remained  upon  their  reservations  in  northern  Min- 
nesota after  the  great  outbreak  in  1862,  now  passed  en- 
tirely into  their  hands.  They  had  previously  opened  a 
mission  at  Gull  lake  in  1853,  which  on  account  of  bad 
treatment  at  the  hands  of  drunken  Indians,  they  were 
compelled  to  abandon.  The  Bishop  began  his  work  at 
White  Earth  in  1860;  and  thro  the  faithful  and  self- 
denying  labors  of  Rev.  J.  B.  Gilfillan  and  others,  after- 
ward extended  it  to  Red,  Cass,  and  Winnebegoshish  lakes 
— and  during  the  summer  of  1879-81,  to  Leech  lake  also. 
At  each  of  these  points  chapels  were  built,  and  large 
numbers  of  those  who  had  been  instructed  by  the  earlier 
Oberlin  missionaries,  were  baptized  and  gathered  into  the 
Church.  And  thus  again  was  the  saying  of  the  Lord  ver- 
ified :  "One  soweth  and  another  reapeth."* 

The  now  venerable  Mr.  Wright,  after  spending  the 
greater  portion  of  a  long  life  in  missionary  labors  amid 
the  northern  forests,  has  this  to  say  in  regard  to  his  own 
experiences  and  estimate  of  the  work  to  which  he  was  so 
fully  devoted : 

"As  I  review  those  years  of  labor  and  think  of  the 
severe  toil,  especially  of  the  earlier  ones,  laboring  as  we 
did  for  fourteen  hours  a  day  in  clearing  and  cultivating 
the  ground ;  or  in  making  perilous  journeys — sometimes 
camping  out  in  the  forest  at  night  in  the  awful  cold  when 
the  mercury  stood  at  forty  degrees  and  more  below  zero ; 
or  in  the  heat  of  summer,  when  the  mosquitoes  were  a 
perpetual  torment,  both  day  and  night;  in  short  when  I 
recall  the  trials  and  perils  by  land  and  water  in  those 
early  days,  I  am  gratefully  reminded  of  the  words  of 
the  Psalmist,  'He  shall  give  His  angels  charge  over  thee, 
to  keep  thee  in  all  thy  ways.' 

*(See  note  at  end  of  this  chapter.) 


118  IN  THB  OJIBWAY  COUNTRY 

"But,"  he  adds,  "Whatever  the  trials  we  had  to  under- 
go, I  do  not  remember  having  heard  one  word  of  com- 
plaint on  account  of  the  privations  or  toil.  I  am  sure 
that  all  felt  it  a  blessed  privilege  to  be  permitted  to  preach 
the  'unsearchable  riches  of  Christ'  among  those  perishing 
ones.  And  now,"  feelingly  concludes  this  noble  veteran 
of  the  cross,  "after  forty-seven  years  spent  in  the  service 
of  my  heavenly  Master,  it  would  give  me  joy  inexpressi- 
ble to  be  set  back  to  early  manhood  once  more,  in  order 
that  I  might  re-engage  in  the  missionary  work  as  of  yore. 
I  covet  the  privilege  of  our  young  people  of  the  present 
generation  of  giving  their  whole  lives  to  this  most  sacred 
cause,  knowing  as  I  do,  how  blessed  it  is  to  be  wholly 
engaged  therein." 

NOTE.  "Shortly  after  the  Indian  outbreak  in  1862,  the 
large  majority  of  the  Indians  were  removed  from  Minne- 
sota to  other  reservations  in  Nebraska  and  the  two  Dako- 
tas.  Bishop  Whipple's  influence  was  the  means  of  retain- 
ing several  large  bands  among  whom  he  had  worked  on 
the  reservations  in  Minnesota ;  while  the  missionaries  of 
the  other  denominations — mostly  Presbyterian — who  had 
done  all  the  pioneer  work  among  them,  such  as  reducing 
the  language  to  writing,  translating  the  Scriptures,  hymns, 
etc.,  followed  their  charges  to  their  new  reservations  or 
engaged  in  other  spheres  of  labor.  And  this  explains  how 
the  religious  work  among  the  remaining  Indians  in  north- 
ern Minnesota  has  come  to  be  carried  on  almost  wholly 
by  the  Episcopalians  at  the  present  time." 


Early  Missions  in  North  Dakota 

Story  oi 

The  Martyrs  of  Walhalla 

BOOK  TWO 


XXXIII. 
A  FRONTIER  TRADING  POST. 

A  year  or  so  after  Mr.  Barnard's  return  from  the  east, 
there  came  to  him  what  he  interpreted  to  be  a  "Mace- 
donian call'  from  the  regions  beyond — far  out  on  the 
borders  of  Manitoba.  The  interpreter,  Tanner,  having 
left  Winnebegoshish,  had  gone  thither  to  visit  some  of 
his  people  living  in  the  vicinity  of  Pembina;  and  had 
sent  back  a  gloomy  report  of  the  great  moral  destitution 
of  the  country  lying  along  the  Pembina  river,  together 
with  an  eloquent  appeal  for  help  in  view  of  the  excep- 
tional opportunities  awaiting  the  labors  of  the  self-deny- 
ing missionary  who  might  be  found  willing  to  entef  in 
with  him  and  share  in  the  harvest  of  precious  souls. 

Moreover,  from  Governor  Ramsey  and  the  trader 
Kittson  came  friendly  overtures  in  regard  to  the  import- 
ance of  opening  a  Protestant  mission  at  St.  Joseph— 


124  IN  THE  OJIBWAY  COUNTRY 

some  thirty  miles  west  of  Pembina — where  a  flourishing 
R.  C  Mission  had  already  been  planted. 

The  place,  afterward  known  as  Walhalla,  had  already 
attained  a  position  of  considerable  importance  as  the  cen- 
ter of  a  large  trade  with  the  Indians.  Its  founder,  Fr.  G. 
A.  Belcourt,  was  a  French  priest  who  had  during  a  num- 
ber of  years  previously,  labored  over  an  extensive  region 
in  western  Manitoba ;  and  retiring  later  to  Pembina,  had 
re-organized  the  R.  C.  Mission  there.  In  the  spring  of 
1851 — remembered  long  after  as  the  time  of  the  "great 
flood"  he  led  forth  a  large  colony  of  French  and  Indian 
half-breeds  to  the  higher  land  at  the  foot  of  the  Pembina 
hills,  where  he  established  the  Mission  of  St.  Joseph  and 
erected  a  chapel  and  convent — and  also  built  the  first 
grist  mill  in  northern  Dakota. 

Thither  also  the  same  year  the  Kittson  company  re- 
moved their  large  trading  establishment  from  Pembina, 
which  together  with  the  French  plant  also  located  in  the 
same  vicinity,  gave  to  the  place  soon  after  the  reputation 
of  being  the  most  important  fur  emporium  to  be  found  on 
all  the  northwestern  frontier.  The  trade  in  buffalo  and 
other  skins  and  furs  was  enormous — many  thousands 
being  annually  exported  thence  to  St.  Paul  in  the  "Red 
river  carts"  of  the  period,  hundreds  of  which  were  some- 
times counted  in  a  single  train. 

Indians  and  hunters  of  various  descriptions  resorted 
thither  from  regions  near  and  far;  and  the  population — 
running  at  times  as  high  as  twelve  to  sixteen  hundred 
souls — was  truly  a  mixed  multitude;  being  made  up  of 
Indians,  French,  and  half-breeds,  with  occasional  repres- 
entatives of  various  other  nationalities,  of  whom  many 
were  not  of  a  sort  to  raise  the  credit  of  their  own  country. 

Such  was  the  field  to  which  the  attention  of  the  mis- 
sionaries at  Cass  lake  had  recently  been  called ;  and  Barn- 
ard at  length  determined  to  visit  the  region  and  learn  for 


IN  THE  OJIBWAY  COUNTRY  125 

himself  what  its  needs  and  opportunities  might  really  be. 

The  district  was  accordingly  visited  by  him,  in  com- 
pany with  Tanner,  early  in  the  summer  of  1851.  He 
returned  deeply  and  favorably  impressed  with  the  beauty 
and  fertility  of  the  country,  and  also  of  the  pressing  need 
of  a  Protestant  mission  among  the  many  hundreds  of 
godless  inhabitants  congregating  there.  He  also  discerned 
the  opportunity  it  afforded  of  extending  the  gospel  along 
its  many  divergent  and  well-worn  trails  to  the  various 
tribes  and  regions  still  farther  beyond.  Filled  with  the 
vision  of  a  new  sphere  of  large  and  wide  expanding  use- 
fulness, Barnard  returned  to  his  Minnesota  station  in 
order  to  complete  his  plans  for  the  change  contemplated. 
Stopping  over  night  at  the  old  frontier  town  of  Pembina, 
he  assisted  Mr.  Tanner  in  conducting  what  was  probably 
the  first  Protestant  service  ever  held  there ;  the  first  also 
in  the  two  Dakotas,  of  which  any  record  has  been  pre- 
served. 

It  was  not,  however,  until  nearly  two  years  later — the 
spring  of  1853 — tnat  t^e  Barnards  were  at  liberty  to 
carry  out  their  long-cherished  purpose  of  opening  a  mis- 
sion station  at  St.  Joseph.  But  the  interpreter,  Tanner, 
remained  meanwhile  at  Pembina,  and  continued  to  labor 
zealously  among  his  own  people  in  the  vicinity ;  and  was 
during  that  time  the  only  known  representative  of  the 
Protestant  faith  in  all  that  region. 

He  at  last,  profoundly  impressed  with  the  religious 
needs  of  his  people,  and  desiring  to  enlist  a  larger  inter- 
,t  in  the  work  on  their  behalf,  resolved  to  make  an  ex- 
tended tour  for  that  purpose  thro  the  eastern  states.  He 
accordingly  proceeded  as  far  as  to  New  York  and  Wash- 
ington ;  and  coming  thither  fresh  from  his  wild  and  native 
west,  his  earnest  manner  and  unaffected  eloquence  in  pre- 
senting the  condition  and  moral  destitution  of  his  people, 
awakened  great  interest  in  the  man  and  his  mission 
wherever  he  chanced  to  go. 


126  IN  THK  OJIBWAY  COUNTRY 

While  in  the  east  he  was  led  to  connect  himself  with  a 
wealthy  Baptist  society;  and  was  appointed  by  them  as 
their  missionary  for  the  Pembina  region ;  and  was  there- 
fore, doubtless,  the  first  Protestant  missionary  appointed 
to  labor  in  northern  Dakota.  When  he  returned,  early  in 
the  spring  of  1852,  he  spent  a  brief  season  with  his  for- 
mer associates  at  Cass  lake;  and  was  accompanied  by  a 
young  man  from  St.  Paul,  Elijah  Terry,  whom  he  had 
induced  to  enlist  with  him  in  his  mission  along  the  banks 
of  the  Pembina. 

The  following  account  of  the  hardships  and  trials  en- 
countered by  them  before  reaching  their  destination  at  St. 
Joseph,  has  been  furnished  by  the  Hon.  Chas.  Cavaleer, 
a  personal  friend  of  the  senior  missionary : 

"They  traveled  with  dogs  and  sledges.  The  winter  of 
that  year  ran  well  into  April ;  the  whole  month  of  March 
was  a  terror,  with  the  mercury  going  to  the  bottom  of 
the  tube  nearly  every  night.  The  snow  was  also  very 
deep,  and  the  roads  unbroken.  Young  Terry  gave  out; 
then  the  dogs ;  and  death  from  cold  and  starvation  stared 
them  in  the  face.  This  was  several  miles  before  reaching 
the  timber  where  they  intended  to  camp  for  the  night. 

"The  dogs  could  not  draw  him  further ;  nor  could  his 
companion  carry  him.  So  wrapping  him  in  a  buffalo 
robe,  Tanner  left  him  lying  in  the  snow,  while  he  hurried 
on  to  make  the  encampment  and  return  for  his  burden. 
In  reaching  the  river,  making  the  encampment  and  caring 
for  the  dogs,  fully  four  hours  were  consumed.  It  was 
already  dark  when  he  returned  to  find  his  companion 
quietly  sleeping  in  the  snow.  He  had  great  difficulty  in 
awaking  him.  Talking  to  him  and  shaking  him  appeared 
to  do  no  good.  Terry  begged  to  be  let  alone ;  protesting 
in  his  delerium  that  he  'was  already  beside  a  good  warm 
fire,  was  entirely  comfortable,  and  did  not  wish  to  go  out 
again  in  the  cold.' 


IN  THE  OJIBWAY  COUNTRY  127 

"Seeing  that  milder  means  were  unavailing,  Tanner 
quickly  decided  upon  a  method  of  treatment  more  heroic. 
Accordingly  a  few  vigorous  applications  of  his  moccasin 
to  his  back,  with  a  series  of  smart  cuffs  about  his  head 
and  ears  began  to  bring  him  to  his  senses.  A  continuance 
of  the  same  a  little  longer  finally  brought  him  to  his  feet 
indignant;  and  with  the  blood  now  thoroly  warmed  and 
freely  circulating  thro  his  body,  he  was  soon  restored 
both  physically  and  mentally. 

"But  how  to  get  him  to  the  camp  was  still  a  perplexing 
problem,  as  he  was  yet  too  weak  to  walk.  But  Tanner 
was  a  giant  in  strength;  and  quietly  wrapping  the  van- 
quished hero  in  his  robes,  as  a  mother  her  child,  he  flung 
him  over  his  shoulder  and  strode  with  his  burden  into 
the  camp.  Having  laid  him  safely  down  before  the  fire, 
and  administered  a  few  cups  of  strong  tea,  he  soon  had 
his  patient  comfortably  revived  and  put  snugly  to  bed.  If 
his  dreams  that  night  were  not  more  pleasant  than  those 
he  had  enjoyed  on  the  prairie  they  were  more  sane;  and 
when  he  awoke  the  next  morning  his  appetite  would 
have  reflected  honor  upon  a  starving  Indian !" 


XXIV. 
TANNER  AND  TERRY  AT  ST.  JOSEPH. 

Immediately  following  the  arrival  of  these  first  Prot- 
estant (Baptist)  missionaries  for  northern  Dakota,  they 
began  the  erection  of  a  small  log  dwelling  on  the  bank 
of  the  Pembina  river  some  miles  below  the  site  of  the  R. 
C.  Mission  of  St.  Joseph.  Then  in  order  to  secure  some 
needful  supplies,  they  made  a  trip  to  the  Red  river  set- 
tlement. Here  young  Terry  made  the  acquaintance  of 
an  estimable  young  lady,  a  daughter  of  one  of  the  Sel- 
kirk settlers;  and  it  was  arranged  that  they  would  be 
united  in  marriage  the  ensuing  fall. 

Cheered  by  this  new  hope  of  a  home  and  a  loving 
helper  in  his  future  labors,  young  Terry  and  his  com- 
panion returned  to  St.  Joseph,  and  at  once  entered  upon 
the  construction  of  a  larger  log  building  intended  for 
school  purposes.  But,  alas,  the  good  work  thus  hopefully 


IN  THE  OJIBWAY  COUNTRY  129 

planned  and  ardently  entered  upon,  was  not  destined  to 
be  realized.  For  only  a  month  or  so  later,  while  the 
youthful  missionary  was  engaged  'in  preparing  for  his 
noble  enterprise — full  of  hope  for  the  future,  and  expect- 
ing soon  to  enter  upon  his  chosen  work  of  teaching  the 
benighted  natives  of  that  dark  region  the  knowledege  of 
his  savior — he  was  suddenly  stricken  down  and  his 
earthly  plans  and  prospects  forever  frustrated. 

From  the  details  of  his  tragic  death  furnished  by  his 
associate  to  a  brother  of  the  murdered  man,  and  printed 
in  the  Walhalla  "Mountainer,"  the  following  statements 
have  been  recently  gleaned : 

Taking  up  his  ax  one  fine  morning  (June  28,  1852), 
and  accompanied  by  a  neighborly  Frenchman,  Terry  pro- 
ceeded into  the  woods  a  short  distance  away,  in  order  to 
get  out  some  timbers  for  their  new  school  building.  He 
was  in  advance  of  his  companion,  singing  some  strains  of 
a  familiar  hymn,  when,  from  a  clump  of  bushes  close  by, 
they  were  suddenly  fired  upon  by  a  party  of  Sioux  In- 
dians concealed  there.  Terry  turning  to  his  comrade 
with  an  exclamation  of  pain,  fell  upon  his  face  to  the 
ground.  Instantly  the  savages  brandishing  their  hatchets 
and  scalping  knives,  rushed  upon  their  fallen  victim  "like 
a  pack  of  hungry  wolves  upon  a  lamb." 

The  Frenchman  succeeded  in  making  his  escape,  and 
gave  the  alarm  to  his  associates  in  the  village  a  couple 
of  miles  away.  Hurrying  to  the  scene  of  the  tragedy 
with  a  company  of  armed  half-breeds,  Tanner  found  his 
fallen  comrade  lying  upon  his  face  with  his  left  arm 
under  his  forehead.  Two  arrows  were  sunken  deep  in 
his  body,  while  a  third  was  lying  on  the  ground  close  by. 
A  bullet  hole  was  in  his  left  arm,  breaking  it  near  the 
shoulder;  and  a  deep  cut  appeared  just  back  of  his  left 
ear.  Hatchet  marks  and  bruises  were  also  found  upon 
his  back ;  while  a  large  piece  of  his  scalp  had  been  hastily 


130  IN  THE  OJIBWAY  COUNTRY 

removed  and  carried  away — a  trophy  of  savage  hate. 

Taking  up  the  poor  mangled  form,  Tanner  and  his 
party  conveyed  it  in  a  cart  to  the  house;  after  which  it 
was  prepared  for  burial.  The  following  morning  the 
body  of  the  young  martyr  was  borne  to  the  grave  in  a 
corner  of  the  Catholic  cemetery,  followed  by  a  sorrowful 
company.  At  the  grave  Mr.  Tanner  conducted  a  brief 
but  solemn  service  over  the  mortal  remains  of  his  de- 
parted friend,  before  committing  to  its  native  earth  the 
lifeless  clay. 

And  thus  sadly  terminated,  almost  at  its  beginning,  this 
earliest  attempt  to  plant  a  Protestant  Mission  among  the 
native  and  half-breed  population  in  "the  land  of  the  Da- 
kotas." 

After  the  death  of  his  young  colleague,  Tanner  went 
back  east  to  collect  funds  to  enable  him  to  continue  his 
work  at  St.  Joseph,  but  altho  he  was  back  and  forth 
several  times  thereafter,  the  mission  was  never  resumed 
under  the  same  auspices. 

From  St.  Joseph  he  went  to  the  Red  river  settlement 
in  Manitoba.  He  did  not,  however,  locate  in  any  partic- 
ular place ;  but  continued  to  move  about  as  an  itinerant, 
"doing  all  the  good  he  could  wherever  he  went."  After 
the  Kiel  rebellion  of  1864,  in  which  however  he  took  no 
active  part,  he  started  up  the  Assinaboine  river  to  visit 
one  of  his  brothers.  He  was  killed  on  the  way  thither 
by  being  accidentally  thrown  from  a  wagon  by  a  fright- 
ened team ;  and  was  afterwards  found  lying  by  the  road- 
side dead.  Thus  suddenly,  and  unattended  at  the  last  by 
human  companionships,  he  passed  out  of  this  world  of 
change  and  unrest  to  one  of  endless  peace  and  felicity. 
Meanwhile  his  slumbering  dust,  in  an  unmarked  grave 
somewhere  along  the  banks  of  the  lonely  Assinaboine, 
awaits  the  resurrection  morn. 

Tanner  is  described  by  one  who  knew  him  well,  as  "a 


IN  THE  OJIBWAY  COUNTKY  131 

really  remarkable  man.  Reared  among  the  Indians,  and 
influenced  by  the  pernicious  views  and  customs  preva- 
lent among  the  inhabitants  of  the  border  districts,  he  was 
prior  to  his  conversion  a  powerful  and  notorious  char- 
acter. He  was  stout  and  well  built,  and  a  perfect  giant 
in  strength.  Tho  gentle  and  kind  when  sober,  he  would 
terrorize  an  entire  village  when  frenzied  with  rum. 

He  possessed  a  magnificent  figure,  was  a  fluent  speaker, 
and  manifested  considerable  intellectual  ability.  He  was 
especially  gifted  in  prayer."  "I  think,"  adds  his  biogra- 
pher,* "that  the  Bible  was  the  only  book  he  ever  read.  If 
I  asked  for  information  on  any  subject  in  that  book,  he 
would  immediately  give  the  chapter  and  verse  bearing 
upon  it,  and  if  necessary  would  repeat  the  entire  passage 
from  memory.  Indeed  a  better  Bible  scholar  I  never 
knew.  .  .  At  Pembina  he  lived  neighbor  to  me  all  one 
winter  (1850-1)  ;  and  often  at  his  time  for  family  prayer 
during  those  long  winter  evenings,  I  used  to  join  them  in 
their  family  devotions.  He  would  read  a  chapter  of  the 
Bible  and  comment  upon  it  in  the  most  beautiful,  simple 
and  sensible  language  I  ever  listened  to;  and  a  more 
forcible  prayer  than  his  I  am  sure  I  never  heard.  At 
times  I  was  led  to  feel  like  the  Roman  governor  before 
Paul — almost  persuaded  to  be  a  Christian." 

*Hon.  Chas.  Cavaleer. 


Elijah  Terry 


XXV. 
ARRIVAL  OF  THE  CASS  LAKE  MISSIONARIES. 

Altho  the  work  at  St.  Joseph  had  been  unfortunately 
arrested  by  the  untimely  death  of  the  young  Baptist  mis- 
sionary Terry,  others  were  being  prepared  to  pass  thro 
a  similar  trial  and  martyrdom  on  the  same  historic  site 
the  following  year.  Mr.  Barnard,  whose  previous  plans 
had  been  anticipated  by  the  Baptist  missionaries,  per- 
ceived that  the  way  was  now  open  to  make  the  removal 
contemplated  by  him  fully  two  years  before. 

Accordingly  the  last  day  in  May  (1853)  marked  the 
date  of  the  arrival  at  St.  Joseph  of  a  little  caravan  of 
travel-worn  pilgrims  from  the  east.  It  consisted  of  a 
party  of  white  men  and  their  families;  who  with  their 
household  goods  and  utensils  had  been  conveyed  thither 
in  the  rude  pony  carts  of  those  pioneer  days.  In  re- 
sponse to  the  curious  gaze  and  eager  questionings  of 


134  IN  THE  OJIBWAY  COUNTRY 

some  of  the  natives,  it  was  learned  that  they  had  not 
come  thither  for  barter,  nor  in  order  to  join  any  of  the 
large  hunting  expeditions  being  formed  at  this  season  of 
the  year  to  scour  the  great  westward  plains  for  the  buf- 
falo; but  poor,  lonely  and  unheralded,  they  had  come  to 
raise  again  the  fallen  standard  of  the  Cross  as  the  ambas- 
sadors of  One  whose  kingdom  is  not  of  this  world,  and 
who,  while  He  dwelt  among  men,  had  not  where  "to  lay 
His  head." 

The  little  company  consisted  of  the  missionaries 
Barnard  and  Spencer  and  their  wives  and  little  ones,  and 
"a  godly  old  man,"  John  Smith  from  southern  Ohio.  For 
some  ten  years  they  had  labored  among  the  Indians  in 
northern  Minnesota ;  and  it  was  not  without  some  regret 
— and  anxious  forebodings  as  well — that  they  had  de- 
cided to  exchange  the  long  familiar  and  endeared  associ- 
ations of  their  lake  and  forest  home  for  the  wild  and 
lawless  scenes  of  this  remote  and  turbulent  frontier  trad- 
ing post. 

The  distance  covered  in  the  journey  was  nearly  three 
hundred  miles.  From  their  station  at  Cass  lake  they 
came  by  birch  bark  canoes  as  far  as  to  Red  lake ;  where, 
having  completed  their  outfit,  and  parting — some  of  them 
forever  in  this  world — from  tried  and  valued  friends, 
they  proceeded  for  a  hundred  miles  further  down  the 
Red  lake  river  until  they  reached  the  well-known  cross- 
ing of  the  old  "Pembina  trail,"  not  far  from  the  site  of 
the  present  city  of  Crookston.  At  this  point  in  their 
journey  the  canoes  were  reluctantly  exchanged  for  the 
large  two-wheeled  carts  of  the  country,  in  which  they 
proceeded  slowly  down  the  valley  to  Pembina — and 
thence  to  their  destination  at  St.  Joseph. 

It  was  the  most  lovely  season  of  the  year  in  those 
northern  latitudes.  All  nature  seemed  new-born.  The 
vast  unbounded  prairies  were  being  newly  clad  in  a  man- 


IN   TUB  OJIBWAY  COUNTRY  135 

tie  of  glorious  green,  modestly  decked  with  a  charming 
variety  of  fresh  spring  flowers.  Wild  fowl  were  abund- 
ant; and  the  evening  twilight  as  well  as  earliest  dawn 
were  fairly  jubilant  with  the  notes  of  lark  and  bob-o-link, 
and  with  the  shouting  and  drumming  of  the  native 
grouse.  Gophers  were  whistling  and  running,  or  stand- 
ing on  tip-toe,  to  greet  their  neighbors  or  view  the  passing 
strangers.  Occasionally  a  lone  prairie  wolf,  fox  or 
startled  fawn  would  be  sighted ;  while  seldom  out  of  view 
in  the  distance  were  vast  dark-moving  herds  of  buffalo, 
leisurely  grazing  upon  their  accustomed  meadows. 

Perhaps  the  only  sounds  discordant  with  nature's 
voices  were  the  ceaseless  groaning  and  squealing  of  the 
un-oiled  wooden  cart  wheels — drowning  the  hum,  but 
not  preventing  the  annoyance  of  never-wearying  clouds 
of  mosquitoes. 

Inasmuch  as  the  "Red  river  cart,"  so  generally  in  use 
in  this  region  in  the  early  history  of  the  country,  has 
now  well-nigh  passed  out  of  existence,  we  may  be  par- 
doned for  inserting  a  somewhat  particular  description  of 
it  here : 

"It  was  a  peculiar  structure  built  after  the  pattern  of 
the  Normandy  peasant  carts,  and  suggestive  of  its  French 
origin.  It  consisted  of  a  light  frame  rack  made  of  poles 
— the  two  longer  ones  extending  forward  so  as  to  serve 
the  purpose  of  shafts  for  the  ox  or  pony  to  be  hitched 
therein.  This  frame  was  mounted  upon  an  axle  connect- 
ing the  two  enormous  wheels.  These  were  broad  in  the 
rim  for  running  over  the  spongy  places  in  the  tough 
prairie  sod;  and  long  in  the  spokes-,  in  order  to  carry 
their  burden  safely  above  the  swamps  and  flooded  'cou- 
lees.' They  were  also  much  'dished,'  so  that  when  neces- 
sary they  could  be  strapped  together,  and,  when  covered 
with  a  raw  hide,  made  to  serve  the  important  purpose  of 
a  raft  in  crossing  the  larger  streams. 

"The    whole    contrivance    was    made  of    wood — with 


136  IN  THE  OJIBWAY  COUNTRY 

never  a  bit  of  iron ;  and  therefore  the  owner  was  seldom 
at  a  loss  for  the  materials  with  which  to  repair  or  supply 
a  broken  or  worn-out  part.  The  axles  were  never 
greased ;  and  hence  the  little  'cherubs'  often  carried  in 
the  bottom  of  the  vehicle,  never  lacked  for  music  while 
crossing  the  dreary  plains — the  constant  screeching  of 
the  wheels  usually  rending  the  air  long  distances  away." 

Of  course  such  conveyances  made  no  allowance  for 
the  ordinary  frailties  of  the  human  frame.  It  was  made 
for  hard  use  only;  and  was  in  no  wise  restful  to  weary 
limbs  and  aching  nerves.  Such,  however,  were  the  well- 
nigh  universal  modes  of  travel  over  the  rude  pioneer 
trails  of  the  country  much  less  than  half  a  century  ago. 
And  where  those  homely  vehicles  once  crept  screech- 
ingly  along  in  trains  of  half  a  hundred  or  more  on  their 
way  to  the  central  mart  in  St.  Paul,  today  scarcely  the 
fragment  of  a  spoke  or  felloe  of  the  same  can  anywhere 
be  found.  These  have  all  been  replaced  in  these  pro- 
gressive days  by  the  many  modern  carriages  of  varying 
sizes  and  patterns,  heralding  the  changed  conditions  and 
the  more  fastidious  demands  of  an  ever-advancing  civi- 
lization. 

When  the  travel-worn  company  arrived  at  St.  Joseph, 
they  were  cordially  welcomed  by  their  generous  friend, 
Kittson;  who  hospitably  placed  at  their  disposal,  until 
better  accommodations  could  be  provided,  a  portion  of 
one  of  his  large  store  buildings — a  remnant  of  which  is 
still  standing  and  used  as  a  livery  barn.  And  thus  with 
the  summer's  beautiful  dawn  the  newly-arrived  mission- 
aries proceeded  to  unpack  their  meager  stores  and  adjust 
themselves  to  their  new  and  strange  surroundings. 

At  least  two  of  the  articles  brought  with  them  from 
their  former  station  are  worthy  of  more  than  a  passing 
notice  here.  One  was  an  old-time  melodeon,  purchased 
by  Mr.  Barnard  in  New  York  in  1848,  and  brought  by 
various  means  of  conveyance  to  Cass  lake  the  following 


o 

ITS 

oo 


o 

PH 

O 

fc 

s 

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~ 


IN  THE  OJIBWAY  COUNTRY  137 


summer.  It  was  one  of  the  earliest  inventions  of  its  kind, 
the  bellows  being  worked  with  the  left  elbow  instead  of 
by  pedals  as  now.  After  the  death  of  his  wife  he  took 
it  to  the  Red  river  settlement,  where  it  still  remains  in 
the  family  of  one  of  the  worthy  settlers  there — an  inter- 
esting heirloom  and  relic  of  those  early  days,  and  doubt- 
less one  of  the  very  first  instruments  of  the  kind  ever 
brought  into  the  northwest. 

Another  interesting  article  which  the  missionaries 
brought  with  them  at  this  time  was  a  complete  portable 
printing  press.  It  had  been  obtained  in  Cincinnati  the 
same  year  mentioned  above,  and  was  the  gift  of  Oberlin 
students.  It  is  described  as  "of  unique  pattern,  with 
frame  and  legs  of  wrought  iron ;  and  was  one  of  several 
that  had  been  built  as  compact  as  possible,  and  designed 
for  use  on  shipboard  on  a  trip  around  the  world." 

Mr.  Barnard  brought  it  with  him  also  on  his  return 
from  Ohio  in  the  summer  of  1849;  and  it  was  first  set  up 
at  Cass  lake  and  used  in  connection  with  the  work  of  the 
mission  there.  From  there  it  was  conveyed  to  St.  Joseph, 
and  set  up  for  a  time ;  but  after  the  abandonment  of  the 
mission  there,  it  was  taken  to  the  Selkirk  settlement,  and 
was  probably  the  first  printing  press  ever  brought  into 
Manitoba.  Passing  later  into  the  hands  of  his  friend,  Dr. 
Schultz,  afterward  governor  of  the  province — it  was  em- 
ployed in  printing  the  "Nor wester,"  which  was  the  first 
newspaper  ever  printed  in  all  the  vast  territory  north- 
west of  St.  Paul. 

How  interesting  it  is  to  reflect — in  view  of  the  multi- 
plication of  vastly  superior  presses  now  in  use,  and  of 
the  ever-increasing  flood  of  printed  matter  constantly  is- 
suing therefrom,  throughout  this  now  populous  region — 
that  of  all  these,  the  crude  little  iron  hand  press,  brought 
into  the  country  and  employed  by  a  humble  missionary 
among  the  heathen,  was  the  first  and  actual  pioneer.* 

*Appendix  "C." 


XXVI. 
SAD  DEATH  OF  MRS.  BARNARD. 

Thro  the  influence  of  Gov.  Ramsey  and  others,  a  grant 
of  $500  was  obtained  from  the  government  civilization 
fund  to  aid  in  the  establishment  of  a  school  at  St.  Joseph ; 
and  the  missionaries  immediately  commenced  operations 
preparatory  to  the  erection  of  suitable  buildings  for 
dwellings  and  school. 

A  beautiful  spot  was  selected  adjoining  a  small  poplar 
grove  just  east  of  the  village,  which  soon  presented  a  scene 
of  considerable  activity.  The  buildings  were  pushed 
along  with  vigor ;  but  before  they  were  ready  for  occupa- 
tion Mrs.  Barnard's  long  over-taxed  strength  finally  gave 
way,  and  it  became  necessary  for  her  husband  to  accom- 
pany her  to  the  Selkirk  settlement  in  the  hope  of  obtain- 
ing for  her  there  the  medical  aid  now  so  urgently  de- 
manded. So  leaving  their  four  young  children — the  eld- 


IN  THK  OJ1BWAY  COUNTRY  139 

est  scarce  seven  years  of  age — in  the  care  of  Mrs.  Spen- 
cer, the  sad  pilgrims  set  out  in  the  closing  days  of  autumn 
in  their  rude  pony  cart,  for  the  settlement  nearly  one 
hundred  miles  to  the  north. 

The  sorrowful  forebodings  of  that  fond  mother  heart 
can  be  more  easily  imagined  than  described,  as  she 
clasped  her  questioning  little  ones  to  her  heart  and  kissed 
them  a  tender  farewell,  realizing  how  uncertain  might  be 
the  time — and  possibly  the  fact  itself — of  her  return. 

The  journey  over  the  lonely  unbounded  plain,  with 
naught  to  break  the  dull  silence,  save  the  shrill  voices  of 
the  few  belated  insects  and  the  ceasless  creaking  of  the 
old  cart  wheels  as  they  slowly  rolled  over  the  dead  au- 
tumn grass,  was  long  enough  for  the  enfeebled  nerves  of 
the  weary  invalid. 

A  few  days  of  carting  and  camping  served  to  convey 
the  exhausted  patient  and  her  anxious  husband  to  the  old 
Scotch  settlement  of  Kildonan,  where  at  the  humble  home 
of  one  of  the  settlers  they  received  a  most  kindly  and 
sympathetic  welcome.  Here  the  invalid  wife  was  shown 
every  attention  which  the  experienced  physician  of  the 
Hudson's  Bay  company,  and  the  loving  care  of  her  hus- 
band and  the  sympathizing  neighbors  could  possibly  pro- 
vide; but  the  dread  disease  of  "quick  consumption,"  hav- 
ing fastened  its  fatal  hold  upon  its  victim,  it  soon  became 
only  too  apparent  that  she  had  already  passed  beyond  the 
rc?ch  of  earthly  medical  skill. 

Finding  recovery  hopeless,  her  one  remaining  wish  was 
that  she  might  be  carried  back  to  the  yet  unfinished  home 
at  St.  Joseph,  in  order  that  she  might  be  permitted  to 
breathe  her  life  out  there,  amid  the  scene  of  her  former 
hopes  and  labors  and  with  her  darling  little  ones  around 
their  mother's  bedside. 

Accordingly  they  hastened  to  set  out  on  the  return 
journey  without  any  unnecessary  delay.  The  weather 


140  IN  THE  OJIBWAY  COUNTRY 

was  growing  ominous ;  and  the  evening  of  the  first  night 
out  was  ushered  in  by  a  fierce  autumnal  gale,  against 
which  the  thin  cloth  tent  on  the  unsheltered  plain  was 
scarcely  a  sufficient  protection  for  the  dying  woman.  To 
add  to  the  discomfiture  of  the  invalid  and  of  her  heart- 
broken husband  as  well,  the  small  bottle  of  medicine 
which  had  been  provided  for  such  an  emergency,  had 
unfortunately  been  broken  on  the  way;  and  the  half- 
breed  attendant  had  to  be  dispatched  to  the  settlement 
lor  another  one.  Painfully  and  alone,  so  far  as  human 
aid  was  concerned,  they  awaited  his  return;  and  all  the 
dreary  night  long,  while  the  wolves  were  heard  in  the  dis- 
tance, and  the  wild  arctic  winds  were  searching  the  thin 
canvass  of  the  little  tent,  the  poor  sufferer  lay  shivering 
in  her  husband's  arms,  moaning  constantly,  "Hold  me 
closer — oh,  hold  me  closer!" 

So  weak  was  she  when  the  man  at  last  returned  with 
the  medicine,  that  the  further  completion  of  the  journey 
was  deemed  wholly  impossible ;  the  only  alternative  being 
to  turn  back,  and  in  the  face  of  the  storm  endeavor  to 
reach  the  settlement  before  the  end  should  come. 

Arriving  there  at  last,  among  kind  friends — but  far 
from  her  hapless  children — this  devoted  servant  of 
Christ,  after  a  few  more  days  of  weariness  and  pain,  sur- 
rendered the  remnant  of  her  precious  life  to  God — "the 
result  of  ten  long  years  of  exposure  and  suffering  for  the 
good  of  the  poor  Indian." 

A  rude  coffin  was  made,  and  her  remains  were  tempor- 
arily deposited  in  the  old  Kildonan  cemetery — the  be- 
reaved husband,  in  the  absence  at  the  time  of  any  other 
minister,  conducting  the  brief,  sad  service,  in  committing 
the  body  to  its  kindred  clay.  Then  remembering  the  little 
motherless  ones  still  at  St.  Joseph,  anxiously  awaiting  for 
the  return  of  the  absent  parents,  he  hastened  to  set  out 
thither  to  break  to  them  the  sad  tidings  of  the  removal  of 


IN  THB  OJIBWAY  COUNTRY  141 

the  beloved  one  to  a  house  not  built  by  human  hands,  in 
a  country  where  sickness,  storms,  sorrow  and  death  are 
forever  unknown. 

When  about  midway  on  his  journey,  late  in  the  after- 
noon of  that  sad  October  day,  Mr.  Barnard  descried  afar 
on  the  prairie  a  tiny  speck  slowly  approaching.  As  it 
chew  nearer  he  at  last  recognied  a  forlorn-looking  pony 
cart,  which  later  revealed  the  eager  distressed  faces  of 
his  poor  children.  They  had  somehow  learned  of  their 
mother's  inability  to  reach  their  home,  and  had  been  per- 
mitted to  set  out — under  the  care  of  a  faithful  half-breed 
attendant — in  the  hope  of  once  more  beholding  the  be- 
loved one  before  the  death  angel  should  forever  seal  her 
eyes. 

The  meeting  of  the  bereaved  father  and  children  on 
the  bleak  prairie,  need  not  be  described ;  but  the  first  sob- 
bing inquiry  that  greeted  the  heart-broken  parent  was, 
"Oh,  papa,  is  mamma  dead?"  It  would  indeed  be  difficult 
to  imagine  a  more  sad  and  pathetic  scene  than  that  pre- 
sented by  the  little  sorrowful  group  as  they  pitched  their 
tents  on  the  wild  Manitoba  plain  that  autumn  night ;  and 
after  listening  to  the  broken  story  of  their  dear  mother's 
closing  hours,  of  her  loving  messages,  and  of  her  ungrat- 
ified  longing  to  see  and  kiss  them  all  a  last  farewell,  their 
young  hearts  bled  again ;  and  sobbing  themselves  to  sleep, 
the  sorrow  of  their  irreparable  loss  was  for  a  time  for- 
gotten. 

But  the  poor  little  pilgrims  were  found  to  be  both 
hungry  and  cold,  as  well  as  weary  and  sad.  Winter  was 
at  hand ;  and  the  cold  arctic  wave  had  frozen  the  streams ; 
and  unfortunately  their  attendant  had  caused  a  leak 'in 
the  kettle  while  trying  to  break  the  ice  for  water — thus 
leaving  them  without  the  means  for  making  their  tea. 

With  his  little  company  of  mourners,  Mr,  Barnard  now 
retraced  his  journey  to  the  settlement;  and  after  the 


142  IN  THE  OJIBWAY  COUNTRY 

streams  were  well  bridged  with  ice,  preparations  were 
made  for  removing  the  precious  remains  to  St.  Joseph. 
For  such  had  been  her  unwavering  confidence  in  the  con- 
tinuance of  the  Mission,  that  she  had  made  it  her  dying 
request  to  be  buried  in  the  little  "poplar  grove"  in  the 
corner  of  the  mission  premises,  where  on  Sabbath  after- 
noons her  children  might  often  visit  their  mother's  grave. 

The  plain,  home-made  casket  having  therefore  been 
exhumed  and  placed  in  a  cart  in  charge  of  a  faithful 
half-breed,  a  second  cart  was  provided  for  the  bereaved 
family ;  and  thus,  on  the  last  day  of  November,  the  sor- 
rowing company  parted  from  their  kind  Kildonan  friend? 
to  seek  again  the  broken  home  at  St.  Joseph. 

When  far  out  on  the  wintry  plain  they  were  met  by 
the  trader  Kittson,  it  is  not  strange  that  the  strong  fron- 
tiersman was  well-nigh  unmanned  by  the  pitiful  specta- 
cle; and  grasping  the  hand  of  the  calm  but  sorrowing 
missionary,  he  exclaimed,  with  a  genuine  pathos  in  his 
manly  voice,  "Mr.  Barnard,  I  wish  I,  too,  were  a  Chris- 
tian!" Truly  a  noble  and  touching  tribute,  from  a  man 
immersed  in  the  traffic  of  the  wild  frontier,  and  seeking 
only  the  empty  riches  of  this  present  world,  to  the  soul- 
constraining  power  of  a  genuine  Christian  life. 

It  may  be  remarked  here,  that  this  man  of  noble  and 
generous  impulses — afterward  one  of  the  merchant 
princes  of  St.  Paul — never  lost  his  profound  esteem  for 
his  humble  missionary  friend ;  and  it  is  believed  that  the 
last  letter  he  ever  penned,  while  on  his  way  home  from 
New  York,  before  his  sudden  death,  was  one  which  he 
addressed  to  Mr.  Barnard  expressing  the  kindest  interest 
in  his  comfort  and  welfare. 

It  was  on  the  third  day  of  December,  at  the  very  be- 
ginning of  an  arctic  winter,  that  a  mournful  company 
gathered  around  the  open  grave  that  was  waiting  to  re- 
ceive and  conceal  forever  from  their  view,  the  silent  form 


IN  THE  OJIBWAY  COUNTRY  143 

of  their  beloved  dead.  Mr.  Spencer,  all  unaware  of  the 
still  deeper  sorrow  destined  to  overtake  him  some  months 
later,  conducted  the  brief  and  simple  service,  while  the 
tears  of  the  stricken  family  and  friends  fell  silently  upon 
the  frozen  clay. 

A  plain  limestone  slab,  intended  to  mark  the  sacred 
spot,  was  afterward  obtained  at  the  Selkirk  settlement; 
but  before  it  could  be  set  up  the  following  spring,  it  was 
unfortunately  broken,  and  upon  the  occasion  of  Mr. 
Barnard's  last  visit  there,  the  two  pieces — still  bearing 
their  broken  inscriptions  of  faith  and  affection — were 
reverently  laid  upon  the  grave — the  earliest  Christian 
tombstone  ever  placed  on  Dakota  soil. 


XXVII. 
DEEPENING  SHADOWS. 

It  was  a  long  and  lonely  winter  that  the  little  Mission 
band  spent  in  the  unfinished  and  sorrow-stricken  home  at 
St.  Joseph;  and  early  the  following  spring  Mr.  Barnard 
prepared  to  take  his  children  east  and  place  them  under 
the  care  of  relatives  in  Ohio.  Good  old  "father  Smith" 
also  accompanied  him. 

This  devoted  man,  when  upwards  of  sixty  years  of 
age,  having  heard  of  the  work  being  done  in  this  region, 
felt  called  to  join  the  Mission  at  Cass  lake  and  render 
such  assistance  as  might  lie  within  the  range  of  his  abil- 
ity. So  leaving  a  good  farm  in  the  vicinity  of  Colum- 
bus, Ohio,  he  went  forth  at  his  own  charges  on  his  be- 
lated but  noble  mission.  He  remained  with  the  mission- 
aries for  several  years,  and  was  of  great  assistance  and 
comfort  to  them,  especially  during  the  trials  thro  which 


THE  BARNAHD  TOMHSTONK 


IN  THE  OJIBWAY  COUNTRY  145 

they  were  afterward  called  to  pass.  Returning  with  Mr. 
Barnard  to  Ohio,  he  afterward  went  to  Berea,  Kentucky ; 
where  upon  the  breaking  out  of  the  civil  war,  he  returned 
to  his  former  home  in  Ohio ;  and  was  soon  after  called  to 
his  heavenly  rest. 

It  is  related  of  "father  Smith,"  as  he  was  familiarly 
called,  that  among  other  supplies  brought  along  with  him 
from  Ohio,  was  a  large  quantity  of  dried  apples;  some  of 
which  he  was  accustomed  to  carry  about  with  him  in  his 
ample  pockets,  in  order  to  attach  the  little  Indian  lads  to 
himself  and  thereby  win  them  ultimately  to  Christ.  And, 
indeed,  his  success  in  this  respect  was  at  times  quite  re- 
markable. At  least  one  of  these  little  fellows,  whom  he 
was  in  the  habit  of  taking  with  him  apart  for  prayer, 
gave  every  evidence  of  having  been  genuinely  converted 
— tho  neither  could  understand  the  language  of  the  other. 
The  full  story  of  the  achievements  of  such  humble  self- 
denying  labors  will  never  be  known — until  "the  books 
shall  be  opened"  at  the  last  day. 

The  following  extract  from  one  Mrs.  Spencer's  letters 
to  a  friend  will  serve  to  show  the  state  of  affairs  at  the 
Mission  during  the  absence  of  Mr.  Barnard.  Under 
date  of  July  I3th,  1854,  she  says:  "Since  I  last  wrote  we 
have  as  a  mission  sustained  a  great  loss  by  reason  of 
the  death  of  our  dear  sister  Barnard  last  October.  It 
was  a  bitter  cup  for  me;  and  brother  Barnard  feels  be- 
reaved indeed.  He  has  taken  his  poor  motherless  children 
to  Ohio,  where  he  intends  to  leave  them  and  return  hither 
in  the  fall.  Father  Smith  has  also  gone  back  with  him ; 
so  Mr.  Spencer  and  I  are  left  alone  to  do  what  we  can 
until  help  arrives.  We  design  eventually  to  establish  a 
boarding  school  here ;  and  with  this  in  view  we  have  taken 
five  little  native  boys  into  our  family.  We  have  had  ap- 
plication? to  take  others ;  but  I  have  hesitated  to  add  to 


146  IN  THE  OJIBWAY  COUNTRY 

my  cares  during  the  warm  weather,  since  I  find  I  cannot 
endure  the  extreme  heat  as  I  once  could. 

"With  the  exception  of  two  or  three  gentlemen  from 
the  States — Mr.  Kittson  and  his  clerk,  Mr.  Chas.  Cava- 
leer — all  the  residents  of  the  place  are  Roman  Catholics. 
The  priest  of  course  opposes  our  work ;  altho  as  a  neigh- 
bor he  is  kind  and  obliging.  He  has  publicly  announced 
that  any  who  send  their  children  to  our  school,  or  place 
them  in  our  family  shall  be  excluded  from  the  Sacra- 
ment. From  the  fact  that  this  does  not  seem  to  deter 
them,  we  are  encouraged  to  keep  on  in  our  work. 

"We  now  have  a  comfortable  house,  provided  with 
some  'yankee'  conveniences,  such  as  a  good  cistern-well 
in  a  nice  cool  cellar,  etc.  Then  we  have  two  good  cows — 
all  of  which  are  great  blessings.  The  Lord  has  raised 
up  a  very  kind  friend  and  helper  in  the  Hon.  Mr.  Kitt- 
son. He  is  engaged  in  the  fur  trade,  and  resides  at  this 
place;  altho  now  absent  in  the  States.  We  have  every 
reason  to  believe  that  the  Lord  has  begun  a  good  work 
in  his  heart,  and  that  He  will  perfect  it  in  his  own  time 
and  way. 

"We  have  been  annoyed  a  good  deal  of  late  by  the 
Sioux  Indians — a  band  of  whom  have  been  prowling 
about  our  otherwise  peaceful  village  and  disturbing  the 
quiet  of  the  inhabitants.  The  former  are  at  enmity  with 
the  Ojibways  and  half-breeds  in  this  part  of  the  country. 
The  latter  formed  a  party  recently  and  went  up  on  the 
mountain  to  see  if  there  were  really  any  Sioux  there. 
They  found  a  number  and  spoke  to  them  in  a  peaceable 
manner ;  but  they  answered  not,  and  raised  their  guns  to 
fire.  The  half-breeds  then  fired,  and  killed  three  of 
them.  The  rest  of  the  party  hung  around  a  few  days 
and  then  departed.  It  is  expected  that  they  will  return 
shortly  with  re-enforcements  to  avenge  the  death  of  their 
comrades."— 


IN  THK  OJIBWAY  COUNTRY  147 

"Then,"  observes  Mrs.  VanCleve — thro  whose  kind- 
ness a  copy  of  the  above  letter  was  obtained — "with  a 
few  additional  words  and  loving  messages,  Mrs.  Spencer 
closed  her  letter  to  her  friend,  a  missionary  in  far-off 
India.  In  a  few  days  the  Indians  did  return ;  and  it  was 
no  doubt  some  of  their  number  who  fired  into  that  peace- 
ful home  and  stilled  forever  the  heart  that  beat  so  warm 
and  lovingly  for  her  friends,  her  family,  and  the  poor 
untaught  natives  to  whom  she  longed  to  tell  the  story 
of  Jesus  and  His  love." 

Late  in  the  fall  of  that  same  year,  Mr.  Barnard,  while 
returning  from  the  east,  was  met  at  Galena  by  the  sad 
intelligence  of  Mrs.  Spencer's  death  at  the  hands  of  the 
Indians.  Well-nigh  overwhelmed  with  grief,  and  alarmed 
for  the  safety  of  the  Mission,  he  hastened  forward  to  the 
relief  of  the  bereaved  family.  Arriving  at  Belle  Prairie, 
about  a  hundred  miles  north  of  St.  Paul — where  was  also 
the  home  of  his  former  asociates  in  missionary  labors  at 
Red  lake — he  met  Mr.  Spencer,  who  with  his  now  moth- 
erless children,  was  pursuing  his  sad  journey  thus  late  in 
the  season,  by  ox-cart,  to  St.  Paul. 

And  here,  under  the  humble  but  hospitable  roof  of 
their  friends,  these  brothers  and  "companions  in  tribula- 
tion" were  strangely  permitted  to  mingle  their  tears  over 
the  sorrows  of  their  common  lot.  And  here,  also,  the 
father  so  recently  bereaved,  was  privileged  to  consecrate 
to  "the  God  of  missions"  by  baptism,  his  infant  son ;  who 
then  received  his  father's  honored  name,  and  also  in  after 
years  became  a  minister  of  the  blessed  gospel. 

Continuing  his  lonely  journey,  Mr.  Barnard  reached 
the  deserted  Mission  at  St.  Joseph,  just  as  the  winter 
was  closing  in.  He  found  the  Mission  premises  empty 
and  dreary  indeed;  and  upon  visiting  the  storm-swept 
grave  of  his  lamented  wife,  he  saw  close  beside  it  an- 
other new-made  mound. 


148  IN  THE  OJIBWAT  COUNTRY 

Here,  then — after  the  long  years  of  patient  toil  and 
self-denial  for  the  good  of  the  benighted  heathen — these 
devoted  co-workers  in  the  cause  of  their  divine  Re- 
deemer, lay  calmly  resting  side  by  side;  while  deprived 
thus  early  of  their  mother's  tender  love  and  care,  their 
hapless  little  ones  were  scattered  afar  in  other  homes. 


XXVIII. 

A  NIGHT  OF  TERROR. 

The  details  of  the  deplorable  event  alluded  to  in  the 
preceding  chapter  are  more  fully  given  by  Mr.  Spencer 
in  a  letter  to  his  wife's  mother— begun  by  Mrs.  Spencer 
herself,  but  finished  by  her  grief-stricken  husband  a  few 
days  after  her  tragic  death : 

ST.  JOSEPH,  PEMBINA,  Aug.  24th,  1854. 

My  Dear  Mother : 

With  pleasure  I  take  my  pen  once  more  to  talk  with 
you  while  waiting  for  Mr.  Spencer.  I  have  longed  for 
a  brief  space  that  I  might  record  the  loving-kindness  and 
care  of  our  tender  Shepherd.  We  are  all"— (Here  Mr. 
Spencer  takes  up  the  pen  which  his  sainted  wife  had 
laid  down,  alas,  forever;  and,  in  a  strain  how  different, 

completes  the  broken  message.) "Little  did  either  of  us 

imagine,  when  my  dear  wife  laid  down  her  pen,  only  a 


150  IN  THE  OJIBWAY  COUNTRY 

few  days  ago,  that  the  melancholy  duty  would  devolve 
upon  me  of  filling  out  this  now  sacred  sheet  with  the 
recital  of  her  sudden  and  tragic  end.  But  so  it  is.  Verily 
we  know  not  what  a  day  may  bring  forth.  A  voice 
from  the  other  world  admonishes  us  to  be  also  ready; 
for  in  an  hour  when  we  think  not,  the  Son  of  Man  com- 
eth. 

"The  circumstances  are  briefly  these :  On  the  morning 
of  August  3Oth,  between  one  and  two  o'clock,  myself  and 
wife  arose  to  attend  to  the  children — the  two  eldest  of 
whom  were  sleeping  in  a  trundle  bed  beside  our  own.  We 
were  preparing  to  retire;  Cornelia  being  in  the  act  of 
lying  down,  while  I  was  about  to  blow  out  the  light,  when 
the  fatal  shot  came. 

"Tho  I  heard  but  one  report,  it  is  supposed  that  two 
(or  three)  guns  were  discharged  simultaneously,  as  two 
balls  passed  thro  the  same  pane  of  glass  and  curtain — 
which  was  pierced  in  four  places — and  one  of  the  balls 
passed  thro  the  bed-post.  Both  balls  took  effect  in  the 
upper  part  of  the  breast  of  my  dear  wife,  and  came  out 
at  her  back, — one  taking  a  downward  course  thro  her 
lungs. 

"Supposing  it  was  but  the  prelude  to  a  more  general 
attack,  my  first  thought  was  to  barricade  the  windows ; 
but  the  boards  which  I  had  been  accustomed  to  use  were 
not  at  hand.  Then  as  I  turned  toward  the  bed,  I  saw  for 
the  first  time  that  my  dear  wife  was  shot  and  was  falling 
on  the  bed.  She  said  nothing  except  to  utter  an  excla- 
mation at  first.  At  a  glance  I  perceived  that  the  wound 
was  fatal ;  and  ran  for  a  gun,  as  the  only  means  at  hand, 
to  call-  for  help.  I  fired  several  shots  from  the  door, 
which,  however,  failed  of  their  intended  effect. 

"Our  nearest  neighbor,  Mr.  Tanner,  lived  about 
twenty-five  rods  away;  the  Indian  boys  were  all  asleep 
upstairs;  and  the  risk  was  too  great  to  venture  outside. 


IN  THE  OJIBWAY  COUNTRY  151 

What  a  scene  was  that  for  a  husband  and  father — his  be- 
loved companion  weltering  in  her  blood ;  and  his  children 
screaming  with  terror — one  of  them  an  infant  at  her 
breast,  covered  with  the  warm  life-blood  of  its  mother! 

"I  scarcely  know  how  I  lived  thro  that  awful  night.  My 
first  effort  was  to  get  the  babe  asleep  and  comfort  the 
other  children ;  and  in  this  I  succeeded  so  far  as  to  be 
able  to  attend  to  my  poor  dying  wife.  She  had  by  this 
time  recovered  in  part  from  her  swoon,  and  had  crawled 
from  her  bed  and  was  now  on  the  floor.  While  she  lay 
there,  insensible  as  I  supposed,  she  remarked  that  the 
floor  was  very  hard ;  and  I  immediately  got  a  feather 
bed  and  removed  her  to  that.  She  lay  for  nearly  three 
hours  after  she  was  shot — perhaps  for  nearly  half  that 
time  in  an  unconscious  state  and  in  great  bodily  suffer- 
ing. 

"She  frequently  called  for  water;  and  always  spoke  of 
it  as  being  very  grateful  to  her.  She  remarked  at  times, 
'I  feel  so  strangely;  what  is  the  matter;  have  I  been 
shot?'  This  was  at  first;  but  afterwards  she  fully  com- 
prehended that  she  could  not  hope  to  live  long;  and  then 
her  thoughts  were  directed  more  to  the  Savior,  whose 
name  in  ejaculatory  prayer  was  frequently  upon  her  dy- 
ing lips.  At  one  time  she  said,  'Tell  Anna  to  love  the 
Savior.'  At  another  time,  when  I  opened  the  door,  she 
said  very  earnestly,  'Oh,  don't  go  out — don't  go  out.' 
When  I  asked  her  if  the  Savior  was  precious  to  her,  she 
replied,  'He  is  my  only  hope.' 

"Toward  the  close,  she  said  several  times,  '/  cannot 
die.'  At  first  I  did  not  know  in  what  manner  to  under- 
stand her,  not  knowing  but  that  it  might  mean  an  unwill- 
ingness to  die;  but  my  mind  was  relieved  soon  after 
when  I  heard  her  say,  'O  Jesus,  if  it  be  thy  will,  let  me 
die ;  and  oh,  give  me  patience !' 

"She  was  in  great  agony  then ;  and  moved  constantly 


152  IN  THE  OJIBWAY  COUNTBT 

from  side  to  side,  attempting  at  times  to  rise.  During 
the  last  hour  she  suffered  from  cold;  but  just  before  the 
close  she  was  more  composed,  and  seemed  engaged  in 
communion  with  the  beings  of  another  world.  Once  I 
thought  I  distinguished  the  words,  'precious  Jesus.'  This 
was  the  last  I  heard ;  and  soon  after  her  ransomed  spirit 
was,  as  we  have  every  reason  to  believe,  in  that  'happy 
land'  of  which  she  so  oiten  loved  to  sing  with  the  chil- 
dren. 

"During  the  closing  scene,  the  youngest  children  were 
asleep,  and  the  eldest  were  comparatively  quiet;  so  that 
I  could  give  my  entire  attention  to  my  poor  wife  and  close 
her  dying  eyes.  For  this  melancholy  privilege  I  was  pro- 
foundly grateful  to  my  heavely  Father,  whose  grace  was 
sufficient  for  me  in  the  hour  of  my  sorest  need. 

"As  soon  as  the  day  was  sufficiently  advanced  to  render 
it  safe  to  venture  out,  I  locked  the  door  and  went  for  as- 
sistance. The  neighbors  soon  collected  and  were  very 
kind  in  their  attentions — doing  everything  necessary  to  be 
done  for  the  beloved  dead.  Toward  the  close  of  the  day, 
all  things  being  in  readiness,  with  appropriate  services 
conducted  by  Mr.  Tanner,  we  committed  the  dear  remains 
to  their  final  resting-place,  close  beside  those  of  sister 
Barnard. 

"I  have  no  murmuring  or  repining  thoughts ;  the  terri- 
ble stroke  has  touched  the  apple  of  my  eye  and  torn 
from  me  the  dear  companion  of  my  life — her  upon  whom 
I  leaned  for  counsel,  my  interpreter,  the  instructor  of  our 
mission  boys  and  the  faithful  mother  of  our  children. 
Toward  the  wretched  murderers  I  have  no  feeling  but 
those  of  pity  and  compassion.  I  bless  God  that  another 
saint  has  gotten  safe  home  to  glory;  and  that  the  blow 
has  fallen  upon  one  of  the  very  few  in  this  region  who 
we  have  reason  to  believe  are  prepared  as  yet  for  aft 
exchange  of  worlds. 


IN  THE  OJ1BWAY  COUNTRY  153 

"In  regard  to  the  future,  I  have  no  plans;  nor  do  I 
conjecture  what  designs  the  Lord  may  have  in  respect 
to  me  and  mine.  Until  brother  Barnard  returns,  my  duty 
is  plain — to  stay  on  the  ground,  secure  the  crop,  and  take 
care  of  the  mission  premises.  Then  if  the  season  should 
not  be  too  far  advanced,  it  is  possible  that  it  may  be 
thought  best  to  go  back  to  the  States  this  fall  with  my 
two  eldest  children;  and  I  know  of  no  one  other  than 
yourself  with  whom  I  would  be  willing  to  entrust  them. 
They  are  with  me  yet;  but  the  babe  is  being  cared  for 
by  friends  in  the  village." 


XXIX. 
DETECTION  OF  THE  MURDERERS. 

Some  weeks  later,  Mr.  Spencer  concluded  to  return 
east  with  his  children  according  to  the  program  inti- 
mated in  his  letter  to  his  wife's  mother.  Fortunately 
for  him  Mr.  Kittson  being  about  to  start  for  St.  Paul 
with  a  large  caravan  of  several  hundred  carts  loaded 
with  furs  and  buffalo  skins,  invited  the  lonely  missionary 
to  accompany  him  thither.  Most  willingly  he  accepted 
the  kind  invitation,  and  was  soon  prepared  for  the  long 
tedious  journey,  having  engaged  the  Indian  woman  who 
had  already  been  entrusted  with  the  care  of  the  young 
babe,  to  accompany  them  as  its  nurse  until  the  following 
spring.  Thus  they  set  out  for  the  east,  in  the  rear  of  the 
great  screeching,  babbling  caravan  of  half-breeds  and  In- 
dians with  their  stenchey,  heavily-loaded  carts.  The  mis- 
sionary's two  little  girls  were  seated  with  the  nurse  in 


IN  THE  OJIBWAY  COUNTRY  155 

their  father's  cart;  while  for  the  babe,  a  swing  was  sus- 
pended from  the  high  axle  under  the  body  of  the  same. 
In  this  manner  it  was  carried  all  the  way  across  the 
plains  to  St.  Paul — a  distance  of  fully  four  hundred 
miles. 

One  evening,  relates  Mr.  Wright,  after  the  caravan 
had  encamped  for  the  night,  some  of  the  Chippewa  half- 
breeds  wandering  out  from  the  camp  in  search  of  game, 
overtook  and  captured  three  Sioux  Indians,  all  young 
men.  Some  of  the  party  recognized  them,  and  believed 
them  to  be  the  identical  persons  who  were  suspected  of 
stealing  horses  the  year  before,  and  very  likely  the  same 
who  fired  the  shots  resulting  in  the  death  of  Mrs.  Spen- 
cer. 

They  were  accordingly  brought  before  Mr.  Kittson, 
and  a  few  minutes  of  searching  inquiry  settled  the  fact 
that  they  were  the  guilty  men.  Mr.  Kittson  then  brought 
them  before  Mr.  Spencer ;  and  pointing  to  the  little  moth- 
erless children,  told  them  very  plainly  what  they  had 
done.  The  men  trembled  violently,  for  they  expected 
that  the  white  man  whom  they  had  so  cruelly  wronged 
would  instantly  avenge  their  crime.  But  instead  thereof, 
the  missionary  kindly  assured  them  thro  an  interpreter 
that  they  were  perfectly  safe  so  far  as  he  was  concerned, 
since  he  was  a  Christian,  and  that  the  Bible — the  white 
man's  "book  of  heaven" — had  taught  him  to  forgive  his 
enemies.  He  then  gave  them  a  good  talk,  shook  hands 
with  them,  and  exhorted  them  to  remember  the  lesson 
they  had  thus  been  taught. 

How  much  effect  this  well-meant  exhortation  after- 
wards had  upon  the  hardened  murderers,  may  be  inferred 
from  the  following  account,  rehearsed  quite  recently  to 
the  writer  by  the  wife  of  an  Indian  trader  previously 
located  at  Devils  lake.  This  woman  stated,  that  when 
present  at  a  war  dance,  in  1874,  on  the  shore  of  the  lake — 


156  IN  THE  OJIBWAY  COUNTRY 

just  twenty  years  after  the  murder  of  Mrs.  Spencer — a 
Sioux  Indian,  named  Chu-i-has-ka,  or  "long-rib,"  took  a 
prominent  part  in  the  dance.  And  among  other  exploits 
in  which  he  had  proudly  figured,  he  narrated  boastfully, 
in  pantomime,  how  on  one  occasion  at  the  trader's  village 
on  the  Pembina,  he  and  his  two  companions  "stole  into  the 
place  at  midnight ;  and  seeing  a  light  in  one  of  the  lonely 
cabins,  they  crept  stealthily  up  and  tapped  (thus)  with 
the  muzzles  of  their  guns  against  the  window.  Then  when 
a  woman,  holding  a  babe  in  her  arm,  came  and  drew  the 
curtain  aside  to  look  forth,  they  all  discharged  their  guns 
at  her  heart,  and  saw  her  turn  and  go  reeling  toward  her 
bed.  They  thought  to  take  her  scalp ;  but  when  her  hus- 
band came  to  the  door  and  fired  to  alarm  the  neighbors, 
they  preferred  to  seek  safety  in  flight." 

The  woman  reporting  these  facts  was  herself  an  in- 
itiate of  the  Spencer  home  at  the  time  of  the  tragedy — 
being  one  of  the  pupils,  and  also  assisting  Mrs.  Spencer 
in  the  care  of  the  children.  She  also  stated  that  the  In- 
dian who  boasted  of  having  committed  the  deed  was,  at 
the  time  referred  to,  a  well-known  character  in  the  vicin- 
ity of  Devils  lake. 

When  Mr.  Barnard  returned  to  the  St.  Joseph  Mission, 
altho  fully  purposing  to  resume  his  labors  there  in  the 
spring,  the  increasing  hostilities  of  the  Sioux  Indians 
made  it  impossible  to  carry  out  his  plans,  and  the  Mis- 
sion was  soon  after  abandoned. 

This  practically  terminated  the  second  and  final  at- 
tempt to  plant  a  Protestant  mission  among  the  native 
populations  of  this  most  interesting,  but  unfortunate  lo- 
cality. 

About  this  time  (1855)  the  Roman  Catholic  Mission 
under  Fr.  Belcourt  also  rapidly  declined;  and  he  was 
shortly  afterward  transferred  from  that  field — spending 
the  remainder  of  a  long  and  eventful  career  on  Prince 


IN  THE  OJIBWAY  COUNTBY  157 

Edward's  Island. 

By  reason  of  the  repeated  ravages  of  the  hostile  Sioux, 
and  the  later  westward  movement  of  the  other  Indians 
and  their  game,  this  once  populous  and  busy  trading  post 
subsequently  sank  into  comparative  insignficance  and  ob- 
scurity. Recently,  however,  the  old  village  has  awakened 
f :  om  its  long  years  of  slumber  by  the  arrival  of  the  rail- 
way and  telephone  and  other  attendant  signs  of  an  ad- 
vancing civilization.  And  with  the  peaceful  invasion  of 
refined  and  intelligent  settlers  from  the  older  states,  the 
rejuvenated  town  of  Walhalla  is  coming  to  be  known, 
not  only  as  center  of  much  local  historic  interest,  but  also 
as  one  of  our  most  attractive  northern  summer  resorts. 

Should  any  of  my  readers  chance  to  visit  this  interest- 
ing locality,  they  will  readily  find  their  way  up  the  neigh- 
boring slope,  where  in  the  center  of  the  beautiful  Protest - 
rmt  cemetery,  in  a  quiet  spot  over-looking  the  scene  of 
their  former  toils  and  martyrdoms,  now  peacefully  re- 
pose 'be  ashes  of  "the  martyrs  of  Walhalla." 


The  Spencer  Homo.  Wolhalla,   1853 

(From  a  sketch  by  Miss  Ernestine  Mager) 


SKETCHES  OF 

MANITOBA 

and 

The  Great   Lone  Land 


NOTE.  For  most  of  the  material  found  in  the  follow- 
ing chapters,  the  author  is  chiefly  indebted  to  the  histor- 
ical contributions  of  the  Rev.  Dr.  Bryce  of  Manitoba 
college;  and  also  to  a  paper  on  "The  great  lone  land," 
by  the  Rev.  Wm.  Mullins,  an  early  missionary  on  the 
Manitoba  frontier. 

— J.  P.  S. 


I. 

THE  GREAT  LONE  LAND. 

Until  a  comparatively  recent  period,  the  immense  re- 
gion of  forest  and  plain,  stretching  far  westward  from 
the  vicinity  of  the  great  lakes  on  the  east  to  the  sloping 
foot-hills  and  canyons  of  the  Rocky  mountains,  and 
northward  to  the  frozen  areas  bordering  the  arctic  seas, 
were  familiar  only  to  the  numerous  wild  animals  and 
native  tribes  which  from  the  earliest  times  were  wont  to 
regard  this  as  their  ancestral  home. 

It  is  a  country  of  great  forests,  immense  lakes,  mighty 
r.vers  and  vast  stretches  of  prairie — diversified  with 
mountains,  hills,  valleys  and  rolling  plateaus.  The  soil 
in  many  of  the  river  valleys  is  exceedingly  fertile,  and 
capable  of  producing  unlimited  quantities  of  the  world's 
most  famous  cereals,  as  well  as  a  great  variety  of  vege- 
tables, and  some  of  the  hardier  fruits.  The  climate  is 


162  IN  THE  OJIBWAY  COUNTRY 

dry  and  very  cold  in  winter,  and  hot  during  the  brief 
summer  days; — the  nights,  however,  being  always  cool, 
and  the  atmosphere  generally  healthful  and  bracing. 

This  whole  region  was  formerly  very  rich  in  large 
game,  and  possessed  a  great  variety  of  fur-bearing  ani- 
mals. Such  large  animals  as  the  buffalo,  elk,  moose,  car- 
iboo and  many  other  species  of  deer  and  antelope  roamed 
the  woods  and  plains  in  large  numbers ;  while  the  smaller 
game,  equally  valuable  for  their  fur,  such  as  the  bear, 
wolf,  fox,  lynx  ,otter,  marten,  beaver,  mink  and  muskrat, 
were  also  very  plentiful,  and  furnished  the  natives  as  well 
as  the  hunter  and  trapper,  with  an  abundance  of  warm 
clothing  and  a  variety  of  excellent  food.  Fish,  also,  and 
waterfowl  were  everywhere  abundant  in  the  numerous 
lakes  and  rivers. 

The  only  Europeans  at  all  acquainted  with  these  wild 
regions  a  century  and  more  ago,  were  the  early  French 
explorers  and  missionaries,  and  the  French  and  Scotch 
traders  connected  with  the  great  fur  companies  operating 
throughout  the  vast  territory,  and  which  came  to  be 
known  by  them  as  "the  great  lone  land." 

So  wild  and  dreary  at  all  seasons  were  its  remote  soli- 
tudes, and  so  intense  and  relentless  the  grip  of  its  arctic 
cold  during  the  long  silent  nights  of  its  well-nigh  inter- 
mir  able  winters,  that  civilized  man  seldom  cared  to  make 
a  permanent  home  amid  its  primeval  forests. 

The  native  tribes  of  the  far  north — mostly  Crees — 
were  of  a  mild  and  peaceable  disposition,  and  were  al- 
lowed to  possess  their  storm-swept  hunting  grounds  in 
comparative  security — no  other  tribes  caring  to  dispossess 
them  in  their  high  northern  latitudes.  They  were  dis- 
posed to  be  friendly  toward  the  white  traders  with  whom 
they  came  in  contact,  and  readily  entered  into  commer- 
cial relations  with  them — with  questionable  advantage 
to  themselves,  so  far  as  their  native  manners  were  con- 


IN  THE  OJIBWAY  COUNTRY  163 

cerned,  but  resulting  in  a  vast  enlargment  of  the  trade 
in  furs  and  other  commodities. 

The  great  rivers  and  lakes,  with  their  intervening 
"portages"  formed  the  natural  highways  of  communica- 
tion between  the  eastern  provinces  and  the  more  distant 
regions  of  the  west  and  north.  Along  these  ancient 
water-ways,  and  time-worn  trails  over  the  portages,  the 
early  explorer,  missionary  and  trader  followed  in  the 
track  of  the  native  tribes  who  had  so  long  preceded  them 
in  their  annual  migrations  to  and  from  the  great  game 
preserves. 

The  Hudson's  Bay  company  of  London,  and  the  North- 
west Fur  Company  of  Montreal — organized  in  1670  and 
1784  respectively — were  for  a  long  time  the  only  organ- 
ized European  agencies  operating  extensively  in  this  wide 
domain.  The  former  of  these — organized  nearly  two  hun- 
dred and  forty  years  ago,  and  still  in  existence — is  doubt- 
less the  oldest  organization  upon  the  American  continent 
today  formed  for  commercial  purposes. 

The  rival  forts  and  trading  posts  of  these  two  power- 
ful companies  were  to  be  found  on  all  the  principal  lakes 
and  rivers.  Their  agents  ruled  the  territory,  and  gathered 
their  annual  harvests  from  the  slaughter  of  numberless 
animals;  but  failed  to  subdue  the  soil,  clear  off  the  for- 
ests, or  promote  the  civilization  of  the  native  tribes. 

There  were  three  principal  highways  to  the  heart  of 
the  "great  lone  land"  in  the  central  portion  of  the  conti- 
nent :  These  were  ( I )  the  pioneer  route  of  the  Hudson's 
Bay  company,  which  was  by  way  of  the  Hudson's  Bay, 
up  the  Nelson  river  and  lake  Winnipeg  to  the  junction 
of  the  Assinaboine  with  the  Red  river  of  the  .north  at  old 
fort  Rouge  (red) — afterward  fort  Garry,  the  site  of 
which  is  now  covered  by  the  metropolitan  city  of  Winni- 
peg. 

The   route    (2)    traversed  by  the   Northwestern  Fur 


IN  THE  OJIBWAY  COUNTRY 


company,  was  by  way  of  the  Ottawa  river  and  lake  Su- 
perior to  the  present  site  of  Port  Arthur,  and  thence  by 
what  was  known  as  the  "Dawson  route" — a  distance  of 
six  hundred  miles  along  the  waters  of  the  Rainy  lake  and 
river — to  lake  Winnipeg  and  the  far-reaching  streams  of 
the  interior. 

But  perhaps  the  more  popular  route  (3)  was  from  the 
head  of  lake  Superior  at  old  Fon  du  Lac,  up  the  St. 
Louis  and  Mississippi  rivers,  thro  the  lakes  and  forests 
of  northern  Minnesota  to  Red  lake,  and  thence  by  the 
Red  lake  and  Red  rivers,  to  Pembina  and  fort  Garry. 

Prior  to  1842  there  were  several  large  districts  occu- 
pied as  missionary  centers  in  the  great  lone  land.  With- 
out attempting  to  mention  here  the  heroic  and  self-deny- 
ing labors  of  the  early  French  missionaries,  a  large  and 
influential  Protestant  Mission  was  opened  by  the  Wes- 
leyan  Methodist  Society  of  England  as  early  as  1840, 
among  the  native  Cree  Indians  in  the  vicinity  of  the  old 
Norway  House — fully  three  hundred  miles  to  the  north- 
west of  the  present  city  of  Winnipeg. 

This  Mission,  stretching  over  an  immense  and  wildly 
dreary  region,  many  hundred  of  miles  in  extent,  was 
wonderfully  prospered  under  the  supervision  of  its  inde- 
fatigable and  apostolic  missionary,  the  Rev.  James  Evans 
— an  account  of  whose  remarkable  labors  and  achieve- 
ments has  recently  been  given  to  the  world  in  the  Rev. 
J.  Egerton  Young's  fascinating  story  of  "The  Apostle  of 
the  North." 

Shortly  after,  about  1842,  the  Church  of  England  sent 
forth  Archdeacon  Cowley  to  open  a  Mission  among  the 
Indians  in  the  vicinity  of  the  Red  river  settlement.  And 
these  two  Missions  comprised  about  all  that  had  been 
thus  far  attempted  by  the  combined  Protestant  forces 
between  the  head  of  the  Great  lakes  and  the  farther  bor- 
ders of  the  continent. 


II. 

FOUNDING  OF  THE  RED  RIVER  COLONY. 

It  was  in  the  year  1811  that  Thomas  Douglass,  Earl  of 
Selkirk,  who  had  previously  taken  an  active  part  in  lo- 
cating a  colony  of  Scottish  immigrants  on  Prince  Ed- 
ward's Island,  now  secured  by  purchase  from  the  Hud- 
son's Bay  company,  the  proprietary  ownership  of  a  vast 
tract  of  land  in  North  America,  a  small  portion  of  which 
lay  along  the  Red  river  to  the  southward  of  lake  Winni- 
peg- 

Here  in  the  vicinity  of  fort  Garry,  previously  built  and 
occupied  by  the  Hudson's  Bay  company,  and  the  principal 
center  of  their  inland  trading  district,  he  located  a  small 
colony  of  about  one  hundred  persons,  and  which  was  af- 
terward known  as  the  Selkirk,  or  Red  river  settlement. 

The  settlers  were  chiefly  from  Sutherlandshire,  one  of 
the  highland  counties  of  Scotland,  from  which  about  this 
time  members  of  the  tenantry  were  being  evicted  from 
their  homes  and  compelled  to  emigrate  elswhere.  It  was 
from  this  class  in  the  parish  of  Kildonan,  in  whom  the 
noble  earl  had  long  taken  a  generous  interest,  that  he 
gathered  his  colony  to  transport  across  the  ocean  and 
locate  on  his  vast  estate  lying  in  the  most  isolated  por- 
tion of  the  American  continent. 

After  sailing  for  nearly  three  months  on  the  northern 
seas,  they  arrived  at  the  coast  of  Hudson's  Bay  in  the 
autumn  of  1811 ;  where  they  found  it  necessary  to  spend 
their  first  winter — far  from  home  and  native  land,  amid 
the  intense  cold  and  many  privations,  at  fort  Churchhill 
>n  the  western  shore  of  the  bay. 


16(3  IN  THE  OJIBWAY    COUNTRY 

Upon  the  opening  of  the  spring  of  1812  the  little  col- 
ony prepared  to  set  out  for  their  prospective  inland  home, 
fully  six  hundred  miles  distant.  From  York  factory  at 
the  mouth  of  the  Nelson  river,  they  proceeded  along  that 
stream  for  three  hundred  miles  to  the  Norway  house, 
mid-way  from  York  factory  to  fort  Garry;  and  from 
there  they  crossed  over  lake  Winnipeg  and  ascended  the 
Red  river  to  its  junction  with  the  Assinaboine  at  fort 
Garry.  These  details  are  given  in  order  that  those  of  a 
later  generation  may  have  some  conception  of  the  dan- 
gers and  difficulties  encountered  by  these  hardy  pioneers 
of  the  north,  and  why  at  times  "the  soul  of  the  people 
was  much  discouraged  because  of  the  way." 

Having  reached  the  end  of  the  long  journey,  they 
began  to  realize,  all  too  keenly,  that  they  were  now  set 
down  in  the  wild  heart  of  the  continent  many  hundreds  of 
miles  from  the  nearest  city  residence  of  civilized  man, 
and  separated  from  the  loved  hills  of  their  native  Scot- 
land by  a  mighty  and  well-nigh  impassible  barrier. 

Altho  hoping  that  now  at  last  their  trials  might  end  in 
the  peaceful  possession  of  their  newly-found  homes,  it 
was  soon  sadly  realized  that  their  heaviest  sorrows  were 
only  about  to  begin.  For  immediately  they  were  met 
by  opposition  from  the  Canadian  fur  company,  who 
regarded  them  as  invaders  and  detrimental  to  their  in- 
terests. The  Indians  also  objected  to  the  occupation  and 
cultivation  of  their  ancestral  hunting  grounds,  and  were 
instigated  to  hostile  proceedings  against  the  new-comers. 
Thus  the  year  passed  away  without  any  satisfactory  prog- 
ress being  made  by  the  unfortunate  and  dejected  immi- 
grants; who  at  length,  forced  to  flee  from  the  Indians. 


IN  THE  OJ1BWAY  COUNTRY  167 

sought  refuge  and  spent  the  following  winter  (1812-13) 
in  great  misery  at  Pembina;  where  fort  Daer  had  re- 
cently been  built  by  the  Hudson's  Bay  company. 

With  the  arrival  of  spring,  however,  they  had  succeeded 
in  conciliating  their  enemies  so  far  as  to  be  permitted  to 
return  and  erect  log  dwellings  for  themselves,  and  also 
begin  the  cultivation  of  small  patches  of  land  along  the 
banks  of  the  Red  river.  After  nearly  a  year  of  compar- 
ative peace  they  were  again  fiercely  assailed  by  their  for- 
mer enemies  and  compelled  to  flee  a  second  time  to  Pem- 
bina for  refuge  and  shelter. 

Reinforced  the  following  spring  by  another  company 
of  immigrants  from  Scotland,  the  settlers  returned  to 
rebuild  their  ruined  homes — determined,  notwithstand- 
ing the  threats  of  their  enemies,  and  the  many  discour- 
agements constantly  attending  them,  to  heroically  renew 
their  former  struggles.  During  several  years  thereafter 
the  hostilities  continued,  and  culminated  finally  in  the 
battle  of  Seven  Oaks — resulting  in  the  death  of  Gov- 
ernor Sample  and  about  twenty  other  persons,  the  cap- 
ture of  a  number  of  the  colonists,  and  the  enforced  flight 
of  the  remainder  for  refuge  to  the  Norway  House. 

From  this  deplorable  condition  the  colony  was  again 
restored  by  the  timely  arrival  of  Lord  Selkirk  in  1817. 
That  year,  moreover,  the  settlers  suffered  from  famine, 
owing  to  the  failure  of  the  crops.  The  next  year  locusts 
appeared,  and  in  one  night  every  vestige  of  verdure  was 
removed  from  the  fields,  and  the  unfortunate  people  left 
in  worse  plight  than  ever  before.  Moreover,  the  locusts 
left  their  eggs  in  the  ground,  and  the  number  of  young 
insects  appearing  the  following  season,  rendered  the  cul- 
tivation of  the  soil,  for  that  year  at  least,  wholly  useless. 

So  while  the  impoverished  settlers  again  took  refuge 
from  starvation  and  cold  at  Pembina,  lord  Selkirk,  at  an 
expense  of  £1,000,  imported  two  hundred  and  fifty  bush- 


168 


els  of  seed  wheat  from  the  United  States ;  and  this  sown 
in  the  spring  of  1820,  produced  a  bountiful  crop  in  the  au- 
tumn of  that  year.  This  was  the  last  service  of  the  noble 
earl  for  the  colony  he  had  labored  so  hard  to  establish; 
as  he  died  the  following  year  in  southern  France,  whither 
he  had  gone  in  the  hope  of  improving  his  fast-failing 
health. 

It  was  during  the  early  portion  of  this  most  trying 
period,  about  1814,  that  a  party  of  the  colonistsr  dis- 
couraged and  homesick,  set  out  in  mid-winter  for  west- 
ern Ontario,  going  by  way  of  the  lake  of  the  Woods  and 
north  of  lake  Superior.  Several  of  them  died  on  the 
way;  but  the  greater  portion  of  them  reached  lake  Sim- 
coe,  where  a  few  of  their  descendants  still  reside.  Others 
of  the  colonists  wandered  away  to  the  south,  some  going 
as  far  as  to  Florida. 

It  was  not  until  the  peaceful  fusion  of  the  rival  com- 
panies, brought  about  thro  the  influence  of  the  two  gov- 
ernments of  England  and  France  in  1821 — the  year  of 
Lord  Selkirk's  death — that  the  colony  began  to  make 
steady  progress;  and  thenceforth  the  settlers  began  to 
enjoy  greater  ease  and  tranquility  than  had  fallen  to 
their  lot  even  in  their  "old  Scotland." 


III. 
RIVAL  RELIGIOUS  INTERESTS. 

Meanwhile  the  population  of  the  country  was  steadily 
increasing.  Many  of  the  servants  of  the  fur  companies, 
as  well  as  a  number  of  the  Swiss  and  German  volun- 
teers from  the  DeMueron  regiment  which  lord  Selkirk 
had  brought  over  to  protect  the  colonists,  began  to  regard 


IN  THE  OJIBWAY  COUNTRY  169 

this  country  as  their  home;  and  being  far  away  from  all 
congenial  society  as  well  as  domestic  enjoyments,  they 
took  wives  of  the  native  Crees,  and  became  the  heads  of 
large  families.  These  "half-breed"  families  located  their 
settlements  along  the  wooded  streams  that  watered  the 
country. 

Those  w.ho  were  descendants  of  the  Northwestern 
company's  employees,  being  French,  were  for  the  most 
part  Roman  Catholic  in  their  religion;  and  were  looked 
after  by  the  Jesuit  missionaries  who  had  found  their  way 
into  the  country,  following  the  line  of  commerce  west- 
ward from  Montreal.  But  those  who  were  descendants 
of  the  servants  of  the  Hudson's  Bay  company,  were 
Protestants ;  and  were  looked  after  by  missionaries  of 
the  Church  of  England,  brought  over  in  the  Company's 
ships. 

Altho  many  of  the  Hudson's  Bay  company  were  Scotch 
Presbyterians,  they  were  in  a  manner  constrained  to  the 
usages  of  the  Church  of  England ;  as  the  company  would 
not  import  any  missionaries  who  were  not  of  that  partic- 
ular form  of  faith. 

The  original  agreement  of  the  colonists  with  lord  Sel- 
kirk included  four  things:  the  first  of  which  was,  that 
"they  should  have  the  services  of  a  minister  of  their  own 
denomination."  Altho  the  colonists  were  for  a  long  time 
without  a  regularly  ordained  minister  of  their  own,  elder 
James  Sutherland  was  authorized  by  the  Presbyterian 
church  of  Scotland  to  "marry  and  baptize."  He  came 
to  the  Red  river  settlement  in  1815,  and  was  the  first 
actual  colonial  missionary  of  any  denomination  in  that 
region.  For  three  years  he  faithfully  performed  the  du- 
ties of  his  office,  until  in  the  conflict  between  the  rival 
fur  companies,  he  was  forcibly  carried  away  by  the 
Northwest  company  in  1818. 

Of  him  it  was  afterward  truthfully  said,  that  "of  all 


170  IN  THE  OJIBWAY  COUNTRY 

men,  clergymen  and  others,  that  ever  entered  the  country, 
none  stood  higher  in  the  estimation  of  the  settlers,  both 
for  sterling  piety  and  Christian  conduct,  than  elder  Suth- 
erland." 

After  the  removal  of  this  godly  elder,  altho  it  had  all 
along  been  the  wish  of  lord  Selkirk — himself  a  member 
of  the  Presbyterian  church  of  Scotland — to  fulfill  his 
pledge  to  the  people  and  to  supply  them  with  a  minister 
of  their  own,  he  failed  to  see  his  purpose  realized  before 
the  event  of  his  death  in  1821. 

Two  years  previously  the  Church  Missionary  society 
of  London  had  sent  out  a  missionary  to  the  young  col- 
ony ;  who  as  well  as  his  successors,  it  deserves  to  be  said, 
proved  to  be  full  of  zeal  for  the  Church,  and  of  devotion 
to  the  spiritual  interests  of  the  people.  But  still  the 
highland  colonists  were  not  satisfied.  They  attended  the 
services  of  the  Company's  chaplain  at  St.  John's,  but  ad- 
hered stubbornly  to  their  own  faith.  And  at  their  own 
homes  they  continued  to  maintain  the  sacred  fire,  kept  up 
their  cottage  prayer-meetings,  sang  from  their  own  loved 
version  of  "the  Psalms  of  David;"  and  when,  in  1844, 
they  were  visited  by  the  Bishop  of  Montreal,  they  refused 
to  be  confirmed  at  his  hands. 


IV. 
ARRIVAL  OF  REVS.  BLACK  AND  NESBIT. 

In  the  time  of  governor  McKenzie  (182030)  the  Sel- 
kirk settlers  had  held  repeated  meetings  and  sent  peti- 
tions, all  unavailing,  to  England  for  a  minister  of  their 
own.  Another  petition  was  sent  in  1844  to  the  officers 
of  the  Hudson's  Bay  company  in  London,  but  still  with- 


IN  THE  OJIBWAY  COUNTRY  171 

out  effect.  A  copy  of  this  last  petition  was,  however, 
sent  to  the  moderator  of  the  new-born  Free  church  of 
Scotland,  and  was  by  that  body  referred  to  the  Presby- 
terian church  of  Canada.  From  them  it  received  favor- 
able attention;  and  in  the  summer  of  1851  Mr.  John 
Black,  a  student  in  Knox  college,  Toronto,  was  selected 
to  visit  and  explore  the  Red  river  country  as  their  mis- 
sionary, with  instructions  to  report  to  them  the  condi- 
tion of  things  as  he  should  find  them  there. 

After  a  long  and  toilsome  journey,  Mr.  Black  arrived 
at  a  point  on  the  Red  lake  river  in  northern  Minnesota, 
known  as  Fisher's  landing — about  a  dozen  miles  from 
the  present  city  of  Grand  Forks ;  and  from  there  he  pro- 
ceeded, partly  by  ox-cart  and  partly  by  water,  north- 
wards— preaching  at  different  points  along  the  way,  par- 
ticularly at  Pembina — until  at  last,  much  wearied  in  body 
and  mind,  he  reached  the  settlement  of  Kildonan  a  few 
miles  below  fort  Garry. 

This  was  on  September  i8th,  1851.  Nearly  eight  years 
previously  (Christmas,  1843)  the  settlers  had  been 
greatly  cheered  by  a  two-weeks'  visit  from  the  American 
missionaries,  Messrs.  Ayer  and  Barnard,  of  Red  lake, 
Minnesota.  But  now,  when  they  perceived  that  a  Pres- 
byterian missionary  of  their  own  had  really  come  to  dwell 
among  them,  they  were  almost  wild  with  joy  and  excite- 
ment. They  gathered  around  him  from  all  quarters  with 
heartfelt  expressions  of  gratitude  to  God  for  sending 
them  at  last  a  pastor  in  answer  to  their  many  and  fervent 
prayers. 

On  the  first  Sabbath  after  his  arrival,  Mr.  Black  wor- 
shipped with  the  body  of  the  people  at  St.  John's ;  but  on 
the  following  Sabbath,  in  the  manse  which  had  already 
been  erected  in  Kildonan,  nearly  three  hundred  Presby- 
terians met  with  their  young  Canadian  minister  and  re- 
newed the  broken  line  of  thirty-three  years  before,  when 


172  IN  THE  OJIBWAY  COUNTRY 

the  godly  Sutherland  had  ceased  to  lead  them  in  their 
public  devotions. 

Mr.  Black  having  entered  amid  much  enthusiasm  upon 
his  labors  among  this  interesting  people,  a  Presbyterian 
church  was  soon  organized,  with  a  large  congregation  of 
very  happy  and  devout  worshippers.  He  found  the  peo- 
ple really  hungering  and  thirsting  for  the  gospel.  He 
had  no  difficulty  in  securing  and  ordaining  a  noble  bench 
of  elders,  who  strengthened  the  hands  and  encouraged 
the  heart  of  the  young  pastor  by  heartily  assisting  him  in 
the  work  of  visting  the  people  and  holding  prayer-meet- 
ings from  house  to  house.  Thus  aided,  he  was  enabled 
to  reach  out  to  other  settlements,  and  organize  missions 
at  several  points  along  the  Red  and  Assinaboine  rivers, 
which  had  been  peopled  by  families  branching  out  from 
the  original  settlement  of  Kildonan. 

In  the  summer  of  1853,  after  two  years  of  diligent  la- 
bor among  this  primitive  and  teachable  people,  it  became 
necessary  for  young  Black  to  return  to  Canada  to  report 
his  work  and  devote  some  time  to  the  further  improve- 
ment of  his  mind.  Whereupon  his  loving  and  endeared 
parishioners,  the  first-fruits  of  his  ministry,  gathered 
around  him  with  many  expressions  of  sorrow  at  the 
prospect  of  his  departure.  They  could  not  consent  to 
part  with  him  unless  he  would  agree  to  return  to  them 
again. 

He  finally  assured  them  that  he  would  use  his  best  en- 
deavors to  secure  them  another  minister,  failing  which,  if 
spared,  he  would  return  to  them  himself;  and  to  this 
they  reluctantly  and  sadly  consented. 

Returning  to  Toronto,  he  reported  his  work  to  the  Can- 
adian church  and  was  comended  for  his  fidelity.  But  he 
failed  to  find  a  man  willing  to  cut  himself  off  from  the 
civilization  and  comforts  of  home,  and  devote  himself  to 
the  arduous  and  self-sacrificing  labor  called  for  among 
the  sparse  settlements  of  "the  great  lone  land." 


IN  THE  OJIBWAY  COUNTRY  173 

According  to  his  promise,  therefore,  he  felt  himself 
bound  to  return,  assuredly  gathering  therefrom,  that  the 
Lord  had  called  him  to  that  important  field.  So  having 
determined  to  bid  farewell  to  Canada,  perhaps  for  ever, 
and  devote  his  life  and  talents  to  a  people,  whom  he  had 
now  begun  to  look  upon  as  peculiarly  his  own,  he  set  out 
again  for  his  distant  field ;  and  after  another  long  and 
perillous  journey  found  himself  once  more  among  the  re- 
joicing people  of  Kildonan  where  he  was  destined  to  live 
and  die. 

Mr,  Black's  settlement  at  Kildonan  proved  a  great 
blessing  to  that  community,  and  ultimately  to  the  whole 
country.  He  took  a  great  interest  in  education,  and  laid 
the  foundation  of  what  has  since  developed  into  Mani- 
toba college.  He  built  the  first  Presbyterian  church  at 
fort  Garry — now  Winnipeg — collecting  the  money  him- 
self from  door  to  door. 

After  thirty  years  of  faithful  and  devoted  labor  in 
his  large  field,  for  a  good  part  of  the  time  laboring  en- 
tirely alone,  his  eminently  useful  career  was  brought  to 
a  close  in  1882.  To  him  belongs  the  honor  of  laying  the 
foundations  of  Presbyterianism  in  the  Canadian  north- 
west. 

Mr.  Black  was  joined  in  1862  by  the  Rev.  James  Nes- 
bit,  a  man  of  kindred  spirit,  and  possessed  of  a  variety  of 
talents  which  well-  fitted  him  for  a  new  country.  He  was 
the  pioneer  Presbyterian  missionary  to  the  Indians  of 
that  region,  as  Mr.  Black  had  already  been  to  the  Selkirk 
settlers.  The  Mission  begun  by  him  was  located  on  the 
banks  of  the  Saskatchewan,  at  Prince  Albert,  in  1866; 
and  around  it  has  gather  the  principal  settlement  of  the 
Xorthvvest  territories. 

Within  the  cemetery  surounding  the  quaint  old  church 
of  Kildonan  where  Dr.  Black  had  so  long  ministered, 


174  IN  THE  OJIBWAT  COUNTRY 

stand  two  granite  monuments  in  close  proximity  to  each 
other,  and  bearing  the  names  so  dear  to  the  people  of 
Kildonan  and  also  to  those  of  the  entire  northwest.  The 
one  bears  the  following  inscription : 

"In  Memory  of  John  Black,  D.  D. 
Pastor  of  Kildonan,  and  First  Presbyterian  Missionary 

to  Ruperfs  Land 

Born  in  Dumfrieshire,  Scotland,  Jan.  8th,  1818; 
Came  to  Kildonan  Sept.  iS,  1851 ;  died  July  II,  1882." 
The  other  reads : 

"In  Memory  of  Rev.  James  Nesbit 
Pioneer  Presbyterian  Missionary  to  the  Indians 

In  the  Northwest  Territory 

Born  in  Glasgow,  Scotland,  Sept.  8,  1828.  Settled  at 

Prince  Albert,  N.  W.  T.,  and  established  the  Mission 

There  Among    the  Cree  Indians  in  1866; 

Died  at  Kildonan,  Sept.  30,  1874." 

The  following  lines  from  the  pen  of  a  later  pastor  of 
Kildonan*  may  be  appropriately  appended  here,  as  a  lov- 
ing tribute  to  the  fathers  of  Presbyterianism  of  the  Can- 
adian Northwest: 

Far  in  the  great  lone  land, 

In  distant  west — 
Far  from  the  friends  they  loved, 

'Mid  prairies  vast; 

There  for  the  Christ  they  served 
With  self-denial,  \ 

Toil  and  self-sacrifice 
And  many  a  trial; 

There  to  their  fellow-men,  \ 

Red  man  and  white, 
God's  grace  they  did  proclaim, 

Love  infinite. 
*Rev.  C.  D.  McDonald,  Ph.  D. 


IN  THE  OJIBWAY  COUNTRY  175 

The  prairies  far  and  wide 

Their  toils  have  seen; 
For  long  in  Christ  they  two 

Had  brothers  been. 

And  kindred  labors  had 

Both  hearts  employed; 
Each  had  with  other  wept — 

With  other  joyed. 

How  fitting  that  their  dust 

In  death  should  be 
So  close  together  laid — 

As  here  we  see. 

Servants  of  God  well  done, 

At  home,  at  rest; 
Your  battles  fought — and  won, 

How  still,  how  blest. 

Calm  be  your  sleep,  till  He, 

Our  Lord  shall  come 
To  set  His  children  free, 

And  bring  them  home. 


176  IN  THH  OJIBWAY  COUNTRY 


APPENDIX 


(A)  —  An  Important  Treaty. 

(B)  —  Observations  on  the  Algonquin  Languages. 

(C)  —  Pioneer  Printing  Presses. 

(D)  —  Historical  Significance  of  American  Missions. 
(  E)  —  Walhalla  Martyrs  Memorial 

(Appendix  —  A) 
AN  IMPORTANT  TREATY. 

The  following  facts  concerning  a  certain  Treaty,  which 
was  made  between  the  Sioux  and  Ojibway  tribes  of  In- 
dians in  Minnesota,  are  too  important  and  significant  to 
be  left  unrecorded.  They  were  related  by  the  Rev.  S.  G. 
Wright,  of  Oberlin,  only  a  short  time  ago.  Mr.  Wright 
labored  as  a  missionary  among  the  Ojibway  Indians 
forty-four  years,  was  personally  present  and  cognizant  of 
what  he  relates.  He  is  now  past  eight-six  years  of  age, 
of  sound  mind  and  clear  recollection,  and  his  testimony 
can  be  relied  upon  with  the  utmost  confidence: 

The  missionaries  had  not  been  long  on  the  ground  be- 
fore they  discovered  that  a  most  cruel  and  deadly  state 
of  warfare  existed  between  the  Ojibways  and  Sioux,  and 
had  thus  existed  for  hundreds  of  years.  This  led  to 
their  attacking  and  killing  each  other  whenever  there  was 
an  opportunity.  War  parties  were  fitted  out  nearly  every 
summer,  on  both  sides,  to  go  on  the  war  path.  To  add  to 
the  intensity  of  this  all-pervading  war  spirit,  came  in  the 
sentiment  founded  on  the  custom  of  blood  revenge,  which 
exists  so  generally  among  all  barbarous  and  semi-barbar- 
ous peoples.  Almost  every  family  had  one  or  more  mur- 
ders to  be  avenged.  There  was,  not  far  from  the  resi- 


IN  THE  OJIBWAY  COUNTRY  177 

dence  of  Mr.  Wright,  an  elderly  woman  living  entirely 
alone,  whose  family — husband  and  several  children — had 
been  killed  by  their  common  enemy.  Of  course  she  felt 
it  her  solemn  duty  to  have  blood  for  blood  for  each  one 
of  them ;  and  all  her  relatives  sympathied  with  her  in 
this,  and  were  ready  to  take  the  war  path  at  any  time  to 
help  her  accomplish  this  vengeance. 

This  state  of  things  was,  of  course,  greatly  deplored  by 
the  missionaries,  and  led  them  to  study  earnestly  how  they 
might  be  able  to  remedy  or  mitigate  the  evil,  as  it  greatly 
hindered  the  progress  of  their  work  among  the  two 
tribes.  It  seemed,  moreover,  that  the  Indians  themselves 
had  some  sense  of  the  mischief  which  this  state  of  hos- 
tility between  the  tribes  was  constantly  bringing  upon 
them ;  for,  curiously  enough,  along  with  this  hostility  and 
constant  warfare  with  each  other,  they  were  in  the  habit 
of  getting  up  a  "peace  meeting"  about  every  year.  When 
the  peace  meeting  was  called  and  managed  by  the  old 
men,  the  resulting  treaty  would  usually  last  six  months 
or  a  year.  But  when  managed  by  the  young  braves  their 
"peace"  meeting  was  very  apt  to  end  in  a  fight. 

Years  passed  on  and  the  warlike  spirit  continued  tm- 
remedied  and  unmitigated.  At  last,  in  (1872,  ;<the  head 
chief  of  the  Ojibways  came  one  day  with  a  very  serious 
air  to  Mr.  Wright  and  expressed  a  desire  to  talk,  with 
him. 

He  said,  "I  wish  to  have  a  meeting  of  my  people  with 
our  neighbors,  the  Sioux,  to  see  if  we  cannot  make  a 
treaty  of  peace  that  shall  last  forever.  I  am  tired  of  war 
and  blood-shed." 

Mr.  Wright  replied,  "You  have  'peace  meetings'  about 
every  year  and  they  seem  to  amount  to  nothing." 

The  chief  replied  with  great  seriousness,  "I  want  a 
treaty  which  the  Great  Spirit  will  approve,  and  which  He 
will  help  us  carry  out." 


178  IN  THE  OJIBWAY  COUNTRY 

"That  is  all  right,"  responded  Mr.  Wright,  "and  what- 
ever I  can  do  to  assist  in  this  matter,  I  shall  be  very 
glad  to  do." 

The  chief  then  dictated  a  letter  in  his  native  language, 
which  he  wished  to  send  to  the  Sioux  chief.  Mr.  Wright 
wrote  this  out  in  English,  to  be  translated  into  the  Sioux 
vernacular  when  it  should  reach  its  destination.  This 
was  quite  a  long  letter,  and  was  pervaded  throughout 
with  a  Christian  spirit;  and  seemed  to  Mr.  Wright  at 
the  time  to  be  a  very  remarkable  letter  for  an  Indian 
chief  to  compose.  It  set  forth  in  detail  the  terrible  mis- 
chief which  the  war  spirit  had  brought  upon  the  people 
of  the  two  tribes,  and  also  pictured  in  admirable  terms 
the  benefits  which  a  state  of  peace  would  surely  bring 
to  them. 

The  Ojibway  chief  selected  ten  of  his  wisest  men  to 
bear  the  letter  to  the  Sioux.  These  men  were  instructed 
to  proceed  under  a  flag  of  truce,  which  the  Indians  always 
respected.  Having  arrived  safely  at  the  head-quarters  of 
the  Sioux,  they  called  first  on  the  Government  agent  and 
one  of  the  Protestant  missionaries — Dr.  Riggs  or  Dr.  Wil- 
liamson. Both  of  these  expressed  their  cordial  approval 
of  the  plan  proposed,  and  proceeded  to  advise  the  Sioux 
chief  and  people  to  accept  of  it  and  heartily  unite  with 
the  O  jib  ways  in  carrying  it  into  effect. 

After  further  consideration  and  various  discussion  of 
the  subject,  the  Sioux  chiefs,  apparently  sincerely,  ac- 
cepted of  the  letter  and  the  plan  proposed  therein  for  the 
formation  of  a  lasting  peace.  The  Sioux  chiefs  then  dic- 
tated a  letter  in  reply,  in  their  own  language,  to  be  writ- 
ten out  in  English — as  all  their  correspondence  on  both 
sides  was  carried  on  in  English  and  interpreted  to  the 
Indians — fully  endorsing  the  sentiments  and  statements 
of  the  Ojibway  letter,  and  agreeing  to  unite  with  them  in 
carrying  out  its  proposition  for  making  a  lasting  treaty  of 


IN  THK  OJIBWAY  COUNTRY  179 

peace.  This  letter,  which  was  also  written  in  a  Christian 
spirit,  the  Ojibway  messengers  carried  back  to  their  own 
chiefs  and  people;  which  when  interpreted  to  them  gave 
great  satisfaction. 

In  reply  to  the  letter  of  the  Sioux  chiefs,  the  head  of 
the  Ojibways  dictated  another  letter  to  Mr.  Wright,  to  be 
written  out  in  English  and  addressed  as  before  to  the 
chiefs  of  the  Sioux  Indians,  in  which  he  re-affirmed  the 
contents  of  the  previous  letter,  with  renewed  assurances 
of  sincerity  and  confidence  and  with  a  renewal  of  the 
proposition  for  a  mutual  conference  for  making  a  treaty 
of  peace  which  the  Great  Spirit  might  approve  and  which 
should  last  forever.  And  he  appointed  a  commission  of 
his  wisest  men,  able-bodied  and  well-armed,  for  purposes 
of  protection  in  going  and  coming,  to  bear  the  letter  to 
the  Sioux  chiefs  and  people. 

This  second  letter  tended  to  strengthen  the  confidence 
of  the  Sioux  chiefs  in  the  sincerity  and  honesty  of  the 
Ojibways.  And  they  appointed  forthwith  a  commission 
of  twenty  men  and  five  women  to  accompany  the  Ojib- 
way messengers  back  to  their  headquarters  to  unite  with 
them  in  arranging  for  the  proposed  treaty — the  Ojibway 
messengers  going  along  on  either  side  of  them  for  pro- 
tection, as  they  had  promised  to  do. 

As  they  neared  the  Ojibway  headquarters  an  incident 
occurred  which  strongly  illustrates  the  terrible  character 
of  the  revenge  spirit  which  prevailed  among  both  of  these 
tribes  at  that  time.  Suddenly  a  woman  rushed  forth  from 
her  hiding-place  in  tall  grass,  seizad  one  of  the  accompa- 
nying Sioux  women  and  dragged  her  from  her  pony,  and 
was  about  to  sever  her  head  from  her  body  with  her 
hatchet;  and  she  would  have  certainly  done  so,  but  for 
the  timely  interference  of  one  of  the  Ojibway  guards 
who  chanced  to  be  close  by.  When  expostulated  with, 
and  asked  why  she  would  attempt  such  a  cowardly  thing, 


180  IN  THE  OJIBWAY  COUNTRY 

her  reply  was  that  she  thought  it  was  a  good  opportunity 
to  get  revenge  for  having  been  once  chased  by  a  Sioux 
Indian,  hatchet  in  hand,  to  split  her  head  open.  This  had 
rankled  in  her  mind  all  these  years,  to  be  appeased  only 
by  the  scalp  of  some  one  of  their  common  enemy. 

Afterwards,  when  the  head  chief  of  the  Ojibways  ex- 
plained and  apologized  in  full  council  to  the  Sioux  com- 
missioners for  this  unexpected  outrage  upon  their  com- 
mon good  faith,  he  said,  among  other  things,  that  he 
hoped  they  would  bear  in  mind  the  fact  that  this  had  been 
done  by  a  woman,  and  that  no  man  would  have  thought 
of  doing  such  a  cowardly  thing. 

When  this  Sioux  commission  of  twenty  men  and  five 
women,  guarded  by  the  twenty  O  jib  way  messengers,  had 
arrived  safely  at  the  Ojibway  headquarters,  they  were 
cordially  greeted  by  fully  fifteen  hundred  people,  gathered 
by  their  chief  to  meet  and  receive  them  in  a  becoming 
manner. 

After  mutual  handshaking  all  around,  which  occupied 
several  hours,  the  head  chief  of  the  Ojibways— 'the  same 
that  had  dictated  the  letter  originally  sent  to  the  Sioux — 
explained  to  this  joint  council  of  the  two  tribes  the  object 
of  the  meeting,  and  said  they  were  assembled  together — 
not  as  savages,  but  as  Christians;  and  that  their  object 
was  to  unite  in  the  spirit  of  their  Savior  and  of  that  gos- 
pel that  had  been  preached  to  them,  and  in  the  spirit  of 
frienship  and  good-will — to  formulate  a  treaty  of  peace 
such  as  the  Great  Spirit  would  approve,  and  would  help 
them  to  abide  by  as  long  as  they  lived  and  forever. 

Other  speeches  were  made  on  both  sides,  and  a  har- 
monious agreement  reached ;  and  all  seemed  pleased  with 
the  result.  At  the  request  of  the  chiefs,  Mr.  Wright 
drew  up  articles  of  agreement  in  harmony  with  the  senti- 
ment of  the  letters  which  had  passed  between  the  two 
tribes.  This  was  their  treaty  of  peace.  It  was  signed 


IN  THE  OJ1BWAY  COUNTRY  181 

by  all  the  chiefs  present;  and  several  copies  of  it  were 
prepared  by  Mr.  Wright  for  those  who  were  absent. 

When  all  this  was  done,  the  leading  chiefs  made  some 
additional  remarks.  Along  with  other  things,  he  de- 
clared with  caustic  and  truthful  severity,  that  "white 
men  have  two  tongues ;  with  one  they  tell  the  truth,  with 
the  other  they  tell  lies,  the  one  sweet,  the  other  bitter.  I 
give  you  all  four  years  to  see  which  of  these  tongues  you 
will  use  in  regard  to  this  treaty  of  peace  which  you  have 
made  today.  If  you  keep  it,  that  is  the  sweet  tongue  of 
truth;  if  you  break  it,  that  is  the  white  man's  tongue  of 
bitterness  and  falsehood." 

On  the  whole  this  Peace  conference  closed  very  hap- 
pily, and  with  good  promise  for  the  future.  The  Sioux 
commissioners  remained  two  weeks  with  the  Ojibways; 
and  they  all  spent  the  time  together  in  jubilee  fashion — 
singing  and  praying — with  f  sting  and  dancing,  alto- 
gether in  a  decent  and  orderly  way. 

Mr.  Wright  says  that  this  peace  treaty  has  been  hon- 
orably kept  on  both  sides,  from  that  day  to  this — thirty 
years;  and  there  has  been  no  indication  whatever  on 
either  side  of  a  desire  to  return  to  the  old  order  of  things, 
with  its  blood-shed  and  murder;  and  that  the  two  tribes 
continue  to  visit  together  as  friendly  neighbors,  make 
presents  back  and  forth,  and  assist  each  other  as  occa- 
sion requires.  Thus  in  an  admirable  and  thoroly  Chris- 
tian manner,  was  removed,  once  and  forever,  one  of  the 
greatest  obstacles  to  the  success  of  missionary  labor 
among  those  tribes,  and  much  blood  and  suffering  saved 
thereby. 

The  name  of  the  Ojibway  chief  who  initiated  this  no- 
ble movement  and  caried  it  to  a  successful  issue — and 
whose  name  deserves  to  be  held  in  lasting  remembrance — 
was  "Made-way-gah-no-nint,"  which  signifies,  "he  who 
is  spoken  to  from  a  distance."  Mr.  Wright  thinks  he  is 
still  living,  altho  past  eighty  years  of  age. 

— REV.  R.  HATCH,  Scr. 

Oberlin,  O.,  Aug.,  1902. 


182  IN  THE   OJIBWAY  COUNTRY 

(Appendix  B.) 
SOME  OBSERVATIONS  ON  THE   ALGONQUIN 

LANGUAGE. 
(Bv  REV.  S.  G.  WRIGHT) 

Seeing  that  the  American  Indians  are  all  manifestly  of 
the  same  race  or  stock,  it  has  long  been  considered  a  re- 
markable fact  that  the  languages  of  the  different  tribes 
are  entirely  distinct,  and  appear  to  have  little  or  nothing 
in  common. 

Mr.  Wright  understands  that  the  experts  connected 
with  the  Smithsonian  Institute  at  Washington,  who  have 
made  a  diligent  study  in  regard  to  this  matter,  report 
that  they  find  as  many  as  sixty-five  different  and  distinct 
languages  among  the  Algonquin  family  of  the  American 
Indians  alone. 

As  he  gained  a  knowledge  of  the  Ojibway  language, 
and  watched  their  relations  with  their  neighbors,  the 
Sioux,  he  became  aware  that  their  languages  were  en- 
tirely distinct,  and  seemed  to  have  nothing  in  common. 
The  Ojibways  threw  out  their  words  from  their  lips,  in 
rather  a  pleasant  way;  while  the  speech  of  the  Sioux 
(or  Dakotas)  was  altogether  guttural,  or  from  the  throat. 

Mr.  Wright  also  found,  after  years  of  patient  study  of 
the  Ojibway  language,  and  from  using  it  in  teaching  and 
preaching,  as  well  as  in  conversation,  that  it  seemed  ade- 
quate and  sufficient  for  the  expression  of  all  forms  of 
moral  and  religious  truths ;  and  that  its  declensions  and 
inflections  and  forms  of  expression  are  wonderfully  va- 
ried ;  and  in  all  its  entire  construction  wholly  beyond 
the  ability  or  genius  of  any  living  Ojibway  man  or 
woman. 

He  observed,  also,  that  in  its  transmission  orally,  or 
from  father  to  son,  no  mistakes  were  ever  made.  In- 
correct or  ungrammatical  expressions  were  never  once 
heard  among  them — on  the  part  of  either  parents  or  chil- 
dren. And  that  the  missionaries,  in  their  awkward  and 
incorrect  use  of  the  language,  often  made  themselves  ob- 
jects of  ridicule  and  laughter  to  all. 


IN  THE  OJIBWAY  COUNTRY  183 

(Appendix  C.) 
OTHER  PIONEER  PRINTING  PRESSES. 

Since  writing  the  foregoing  in  regard  to  the  Barnard 
press,  we  have  come  across  the  remarkable  story  of  the 
pioneer  press  of  the  Pacific  coast,  now  fortunately  pre- 
served in  the  State  capitol  at  Oregon. 

Concerning  this  old  press  it  is  related  that  "in  1819 — 
long  before  the  beginning  of  civilization  in  Oregon — the 
Congregational  missionaries  in  the  Sandwich  Islands  had 
imported  the  press  around  Cape  Horn  from  New  Eng- 
land, and  from  that  time  up  to  1839  ^  nac^  served  an  ex- 
cellent purpose  in  furnishing  a  Christian  literature  to  the 
Hawaiians. 

"But  the  Islanders,  having  at  last  outgrown  it,  the 
native  church  at  Honolulu  were  led  to  donate  the  old  one 
to  the  new  Associated  Mission  in  Oregon,*  then  under 
the  care  of  Messrs.  Spaulding  and  Whitman.  The  press 
was  accordingly  set  up  at  Lapwai,  Idaho;  and  used  long 
after  in  printing  portions  of  the  Scriptures,  hymn  books 
and  other  literature,  in  the  Nes  Perces  language,  and 
which  were  used  in  all  the  Missions  of  the  American 
Board  in  Oregon." 

("How  Whitman  Saved  Oregon" — by  O.  W.  DIXON — 
page  268.) 

More  wonderful  still  is  the  account  of  yet  another  ver- 
itable "pioneer  press,"  which  was  made  and  set  up  not 
far  from  the  bleak  shore  of  the  Hudson's  Bay,  in  con- 
nection with  the  mission  of  that  eminent  apostle  to  the 
Cree  Indians,  Rev.  James  Evans,  of  the  Wesleyan  Meth- 
odist mission  at  Norway  House,  B.  C.  In  1840  he  es- 
tablished the  first  Protestant  mission  in  the  Hudson's 
Bay  region;  and  for  several  years  thereafter  represented 
an  immense  district  extending  hundreds  of  miles  to  the 
north  and  west  of  Norway  house.  He  was  successful  in 
all  his  labors;  but  perhaps  his  most  remarkable  achieve- 
ment was  the  invention  of  the  Cree  syllabic  system  of 
writing  for  the  benefit  of  the  native  tribes.  Akin  to  that 
was  his  manufacture  out  of  the  crudest  materials  and 
most  limited  facilities,  of  a  font  of  type  and  printing  press, 
which  he  successfully  used — as  early  as  1840 — in  printing 

*Brot  to  the  mission  by  E.  O.  Hale  and  wife  (1839). 


184  IN  THE  OJIBWAY  COUNTRY 

portions  of  the  Scriptures,  hymns,  etc.,  for  the  use  of  the 
natives  in  their  own  language. 

Thus  at  the  same  early  date,  at  least  two  of  these  pio- 
neer presses  were  in  operation — printing  the  Sacred 
Scriptures,  etc.,  in  the  language  of  the  aborigines :  one  on 
the  Pacific  coast,  the  other  in  the  far  north  on  the  arctic 
slope  of  our  continent ;  while  the  Barnard  press  was  doing 
the  same  or  similar  work  in  the  wilds  of  Minnesota  some 
years  later. 


(Appendix  D) 

THE  HISTORICAL  SIGNIFICANCE  OF  THE  IN- 
DIAN MISSIONS  IN  NORTH  AMERICA. 

(Bv  HON.  J.  W.  TAYLOR,  U.  S.  CONSUL) 
The  following  communication,  addressed  to  the  author 
on  the  occasion  to  which  it  refers,  is  appended  here  as  a 
valuable  contribution  to  the  literature  of  missions,  from 
a  close  observer  and  devout  student  of  the  subject: 

U.  S.  CONSULATE,  WINNIPEG,  June  15,  1888 

Rev.  J.  P.  Schell 

Dear  Sir:  I  regret  that  I  am  prevented  by  circum- 
stances not  within  my  control,  from  attending,  in  pursu- 
ance of  your  kind  request,  upon  the  memorial  services  at 
Walhalla  on  the  2ist  inst.,  at  the  unveiling  of  the  monu- 
ment erected  to  the  memory  of  the  martyred  missionaries 
whose  devotion  and  fate  some  forty  years  ago  constitute 
such  an  impressive  incident  in  the  early  history  of  North- 
ern Dakota. 

Anticipating  that  the  details  of  the  tragedy  at  the  old 
St.  Joseph  Mission  will  be  fully  given  by  others  on  the 
occasion  referred  to,  I  hope  to  be  indulged  in  some  ref- 
erences to  the  Historical  Significance  of  the  Indian  Mis- 
sions in  North  America. 

The  scale  of  American  independence  would  probably 
have  been  turned  against  the  thirteen  colonies,  except  for 
the  Kirkland  mission  securing  the  neutrality  of  the 
Oneida  and  the  Onondaga  tribes  of  the  Iroquis  Confed- 
eracy, and  the  influence  of  the  Moravian  missions  of 


IN  THE  OJIBWAY  COUNTRY  185 

Pennsylvania  and  Ohio  in  restraining  the  Delaware  naticn 
from  hostility. 

It  is  now  admitted  that  the  residence  of  Whitman  and 
Parker,  and  others,  as  missionaries  to  the  Columbia  river 
fifty  years  ago,  had  a  material  influence  in  the  recognition 
of  the  Territory,  now  organized  as  the  State  of  Oregon 
and  the  Territory  of  Washington,  as  a  division  of  the 
United  States. 

In  respect  to  the  immense  district  northwest  of  lake 
Michigan,  permanent  missions  were  established  in  1820 
at  Mackinac  by  Presbyterians,  at  St.  Boniface  by  Roman 
Catholics,  and  at  St.  John  (now  Winnipeg)  by  the 
Church  of  England,  with  far-reaching  consequences.  And 
the  frontier  annals  of  Wisconsin,  Minnesota  and  Dakota, 
as  subsequetly  organized,  will  forever  preserve  the  names 
of  Morse,  Ferry,  Ayer,  Hall,  Boutwell,  Pond.  Willi?m- 
son,  Riggs,  Stevens,  Ravoux  and  Barnard — missionaries 
contemporary  with  the  military  occupation  of  Fort 
Snelling  and  the  peaceful  and  beneficial  fur  trade  as  or- 
ganized and  administered  by  Sibley,  Kittson  and  Rice, 
with  unbroken  harmony  between  the  Indians  and  the 
scattered  white  population  of  hunters,  traders  and  mis- 
sionaries. 

A  similar  extension  of  missionary  effort  by  all  Chris- 
tian denominations  was  a  powerful  agency,  in  combina- 
tion with  the  wise  administration  of  the  Hudson's  Bay 
Company,  in  securing  permanent  tranquility  in  central 
British  America,  now  known  as  districts  of  Canada,  and 
designated  as  Manitoba,  Assinaboia,  Alberta,  Saskatche- 
wan, Columbia  and  MacKenzie  Land. 

If,  during  the  California  gold  exodus  and  the  confu- 
sion of  civil  war,  exceptions  to  these  peaceful  relations 
have  transpired  (as  in  the  assassinations  at  St.  Joseph 
and  the  Sioux  insurrection  of  1862-3),  let  us  hope  that 
their  recurrence  will  be  hereafter  forever  prevented ;  and 
if  so,  history  will  record  that  no  intervention  has  been 
more  effective  than  the  zeal  and  self-denial  of  the  Mis- 
sionaries of  the  Cross. 

Very  truly  yours, 

J.'W.  TAYLOR. 


186  IN  THE  OJIBWAY  COUNTRY 

(Appendix — E) 
THE  MARTYRS  MEMORIAL  SERVICES. 

Thirty-four  years  atter  the  tragic  termination  of  the  at- 
tempts to  plant  a  Protestant  mission  at  St.  Joseph,  the  re- 
main? of  the  martyred  missionaries — recovered  at  last  from 
their  long  resting  places  on  the  open  prairie — were  rever 
ently  exhumed  and  removed  to  a  beautiful  spot  in  the  newly 
opened  cemetery  on  the  hillside  back  of  the  village. 

Through  the  efforts  ot  Mrs.  C.  O.  VanCleve  a  neat  mar- 
ble monument  had  been  erected  over  the  new-made  grave 
of  Mrs.  Spencer,  bearing  the  following  inscription: 

SACRED  TO    THE  MEMORY 

— OP- 
MRS.  CORNELIA  LEONARD 
SPENCER 

BORN,  AUGUST    8. 

1825 

KILLED  BY  INDIANS  AUQU8T 
30th,     1854 

At  Walhalla,  where  she  and  her 

husband  were  laboring  as 

missionaries. 


"Be      Thou    Faithful    Unto    Death     and     I 

will  give  Thee  a  Crown  of  Life!" 

Also  upon  the  grave  of  Mrs.  Barnard,  the  scattered  frag 
ments  of  the  oid  tombstone,  brought  originally  from  Kil- 
donan  and  laid  upon  the  former  resting  place  by  Mr.  Bar- 
nard— having  been  but  recently  gathered  up  again  and 
firmly  anchored  to  a  heavy  limestone  slab — were  once  more 
placed  over  the  precious  remains  as  originally  intended 
And  in  lieu  of  the  early  inscription  which  Mr.  Barnard  had 
traoed  with  paint  upon  its  surface,  the  following  inscription 


X 


B 
= 
3 

•5 


IN  THE  OJIBWAY  COUNTRY  187 


had  been  cut  JD  the  time-worn  face    of    the    now    historic 
stone: 

IN   MEMORY 
—  OF — 

SARAB    PHILENA 

WIFE  OF  ALONZO  BARNARD 
WHO     DIED     OCT    22,     1853 

Of  quick  consumption,  the  result 

of  ten  years  of  exposure 

and  suffering  as  a 

MISSIONARY     FOR 
THE    GOOD 

OF    THE     INDIANS 


AGED  34  YEARS  AND 

19  DAYS 
PS.  32  8  AND  37-3. 


This  stone  was  brought  trom  feel- 
kirk.  Man.,  in  1854:  broken,  it  was 
laid  upon  the  grave.  Afterwards  it 
was  removed  and  lost.  Recovered 
and  reverently  restored. 

June  21st,    1888. 

It  was  on  the  2lst  ot  June,  1888,  ae  the  old  stone  now 
records,  that  the  interesting  services  commemorating  the 
event  were  held, 

"The  good  people  of  Walhalla  had  provided  a  bountiful 
lunch  for  all  who  came  from  the  surrounding  farms  and  villa- 
ges; after  which  all  gathered  about  the  spot  where  the 
precious  remains  bad  been  so  recently  re-interred. 

Among  those  present  was  Mr.  Barnard,    the  lanely    sur 
vivor  of  the  early  mission;  and  the  meeting  of  the  aged  mis- 
sionary  with  Mr.  (Javileer   and  other  friends  of  those    early 
days,  was  a  sigh  t  that  was  most  touching  to  witness!     Pre- 


188  IN  THE  OJIBWAY  COUNTRY 

sent  also  on  the  occasion  was  the  Frenchman,  Felix  Le- 
Traille,  who  had  dug  the  first  grave  of  Mrs.  Spencer,  and 
had  also  been  employed  in  locating  and  exhuming  the  re- 
mains  a  generation  later. 

The  photograph  taken  at  the  time  shows  him  in  the  tore- 
ground,  with  his  pick  and  spade,  seated  on  a  bent  sapling; 
and  standing  beside  him  is  seen  his  wife — a  Chippewa  wo 
man — who  cared  for  the  Spencer  children  the  morning  at- 
ter  the  murder,  and  accompanied  them  on  their  caravan 
journey  to  St.  Paul. 

The  ministers  representing  the  Pembina  presbytery  were 
grouped  near  the  graves;  ladles  representing  the  various 
missionary  societies  were  near;  and  a  crowd  of  men,  women 
and  children  encircled  the  sacred  spot. 

After  some  opening  remarks  by  Rev.  Mr.  Schell,  who  had 
the  matter  in  charge,  followed  by  appropriate  addresses  by 
Mrs.  Van  Cleve  and  others,  the  monument  was  unveiled,  af- 
ter which  the  aged  missionary,  standing  beside  the  tomb  of 
his  sainted  wife,  relate  1  the  story  of  their  early  trials  and 
sorrows  in  such  a  manner  as  none  of  those  who  heard  him 
will  ever  torget. 

Strong  men  wept;  children  listened  with  rapt  attention; 
and  womens'  hearts  were  stirred  to  their  depths  at  the  re- 
cital of  the  sufferings  and  devotion  of  those  noble  ones  who 
counted  not  their  lives  dear  unto  themselves,  if  only  they 
might  win  to  Christ  the  souls  of  the  ignorant  and  degraded 
children  of  the  forest. 

Thus  was  dedicated  what  is  now  a  sacred  spot;  and  those 
who  were  present  will  pray  that  those  memorial  stones 
against  the  mountain  side  may  prove  a  perpetual  object 
lesson  to  later  generations,  and  a  stimulous  to  increased  ef- 
fort tor  the  extension  of  the  Redeemer's  kingdom  among 
the  native  tribes  of  our  own  as  well  as  of  other  lands." 

—  MK8  C.  O  VAN  CLEVE. 


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